Ireland has recently passed one of the most permissive surrogacy law in Europe. To appreciate how extreme this law is, it can be compared with what is in the report issued last year by the Law Commission of England and Wales, in collaboration with the Scottish Law Commission. This report reviews the current legislation and...

The Assisted Human Reproduction (AHR) Bill, currently under consideration in the Seanad, has sparked some debate primarily around the issue of surrogacy. However, the Bill raises numerous other ethical issues that merit urgent attention, particularly with regard to embryo research and screening. Although the AHR Bill prohibits the creation of embryos specifically for research purposes,...

Press release from The Iona Institute Government introducing commercial surrogacy by another name “Reasonable expenses” can easily amount to commercial surrogacy June 19, 2024 – A Bill that will allow surrogacy is currently before the Seanad. The Government tells us the Bill will not recognise commercial surrogacy, but in fact it will do so by allowing big payments...

A Bill that will allow surrogacy is currently being debated in the Seanad as it reaches the final stages of approval. The Government tells us it will not recognise commercial surrogacy, but in fact it will do so by allowing big payments to surrogate mothers under the heading “reasonable expenses”. The Assisted Human Reproduction Bill...

The Vatican has just released a new document on the topic of human dignity. Among other issues, it addresses the ethical problems of surrogacy—including the commodification of babies and the financial exploitation of low-income women who are contracted to be surrogates. Ireland is in the process of adopting one of the most permissive laws in...

The Government has approved a legislative proposal to recognise and facilitate what amounts to commercial surrogacy abroad, a practice banned almost everywhere in Europe because it commodifies babies and exploits low-income women. The Government denies it will recognise overseas commercial surrogacy, but this simply isn’t true. Once drafted, the new provisions will be part of...

The very one-sided Oireachtas Committee on International Surrogacy has recommended the recognition of ‘compensated surrogacy,’ which is commercial surrogacy by another name, in Ireland and abroad. Under the broad notion of “reasonable expenses”, women will be paid large sums of money to carry a child for someone else under the terms of a contract. Almost...

Hear a fascinating and in-depth talk by Jennifer Lahl on the history of surrogacy, the industry that services it, and the victims it has left in its wake. The talk was hosted by The Iona Institute. Jennifer is the founder and president of The Center for Bioethics and Culture Network(CBC) in California. She has 25...

Moves are being made to legitimise overseas commercial surrogacy in Ireland. But as this briefing note points out, the practice exploits low-income women and commodifies babies. To download the document, click here. (Originally posted on 18th February 2022)

Officials from three Government Departments have expressed great doubt about the possibility of legislating for the recognition of international commercial surrogacy contracts in Ireland. Besides practical difficulties, it would create a double standard if commercial surrogacy, which is banned here in Ireland, is tolerated when it happens abroad. The Joint Oireachtas Committee on international commercial...