Assisted Human Reproduction

Government recognising commercial surrogacy in all but name

By Dr Angelo Bottone

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...

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The appalling recommendations of the surrogacy committee

By Dr Angelo Bottone

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...

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How surrogacy harms human dignity: a talk

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...

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The Case against Commercial Surrogacy

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)

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Oireachtas Committee told harsh facts of life about commercial surrogacy

By Dr Angelo Bottone

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...

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A non-debate in the Dáil about the Assisted Human Reproduction Bill

By Dr Angelo Bottone

Last week, the Dáil began debating the Assisted Human Reproduction Bill but, in reality, there was no debate. Assisted Human Reproduction (AHR) poses many serious ethical and legal questions but very few objections were raised by our TDs. This is a typical pattern in these debates. The Bill is very permissive and adult-centered in its...

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A new Irish law will allow for deliberate creation of semi-orphans

By Dr Angelo Bottone

A new assisted human reproduction Bill, presented this week by Cabinet, will allow the use of sperm or eggs from a deceased person. The children produced will be deliberate semi-orphans, one of their parents dead before they are even conceived. This is one of several big ethical problems with the legislation. The final text of...

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Officials warn against commercial overseas surrogacy

By Dr Angelo Bottone

There is a mounting pressure in Ireland to have foreign commercial surrogacy arrangements recognised here. Today the matter is being considered by a Special Oireachtas Committee, but ahead of that meeting, the Attorney General’s office produced a document highlighting the ethical pitfalls with commercial surrogacy. It also challenges the recommendations on the matter of the...

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Irish hypocrisy on surrogacy and the natural ties

The Government has announced the setting up of a special committee on surrogacy to discuss couples (or individuals) who make use of surrogacy arrangements overseas and then have difficulty when they come back home being recognised as the legal parents of the child. At the same time, the Government is passing legislation to make it...

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Yet another report downgrades the natural ties

By Dr Angelo Bottone

In a new report for the Government, the Special Rapporteur on Child Protection has recommended legal recognition of domestic surrogacy arrangements even where the commissioning couple have no genetic connection the child. This gives the natural ties short shrift indeed. The recommendation would allow a given couple to use the sperm of one donor, the...

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