An international coalition of feminist groups opposed to surrogacy have written to the Oireachtas to lodge their objections to legally recognising the practice.

In a letter to the Joint Committee on International Surrogacy, the group noted the near unanimous views of the committee members in favour of surrogacy and that the one dissenting voice, Senator Sharon Keogan, was “silenced”.

The International Coalition for the Abolition of Surrogate Motherhood said most European countries ban surrogacy for reasons of human dignity.

They add that, whether for commercial or so called “altruistic” motives, donor conceived and surrogate pregnancies are higher risk and much more dangerous than naturally conceived pregnancies and should be listed among acts of violence against women.

“Surrogacy causes violence in at least four thematic fields: medical, psychological, legal, economic, in which personal, situational and socio-cultural aspects are intertwined”.