The Seanad has heard that at least ten families in the State have broken up, leaving mothers or a second father with no legal rights to a child born through commercial surrogacy, a practice that is not permitted in almost every European country because critics say it commodifies babies and exploits low income women.

Fine Gael Senator Mary Seery Kearney called for speeding up legislation in the area, because she said women and second parents are ending up “in a very abusive, coercive situation” where children are being “weaponised”.

A bill going through the Oireachtas would provide for future surrogate babies and address those already born through surrogacy where one parent has no standing in law. Italy is currently planned to heavily fine adults who go abroad to use commercial surrogacy. Ireland is on course to have one of the most permissive regimes in Europe.