Irish families continue to fly to war-torn Ukraine to avail of commercial surrogacy despite repeated pleas from the Government not to do so. Ukraine is one of the only countries in Europe that allows commercial surrogacy, but even they are considering legislation to outlaw international visitors from using it.

It is understood a small number of families — about 20 — are engaged in the process, with some having embryos stored in the war-torn country and at least one couple being in Ukraine.

A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs said any travel to Ukraine was advised against due to the ongoing war with Russia. The department said part of the reason people were asked not to travel is due to limits on the ability of the Irish State to provide consular assistance to those in Ukraine.

Fine Gael senator Mary Seery Kearney who is promoting legislation to legalise surrogacy in Ireland said her first advice was not to travel to the country. She added there are “other countries which do international surrogacy and the embryos can be shipped there”.

Ukraine has signalled it may end the practice of foreign surrogacy. President Voldomyr Zelenskyy’s government has drafted a piece of legislation that would outlaw the use of international surrogacy through Ukraine.

That move was followed by Georgia, which in June moved to do the same.