An Irish man whose surrogate triplets were detained in Kenya for two months has secured their release after paying almost €40,000 extra to a surrogacy agency on top of the originally agreed price of €50,000 for the surrogacy process. Commercial surrogacy is not allowed in most countries.

Mr O’Reilly and his partner were hit with additional costs when they went to collect the infants in Kenya in the days after their birth.

The partners, who did not have the funds, launched a high-profile public campaign to raise the money, with the public donating more than €36,000 to a gofundme campaign while Mr O’Reilly had to borrow another €2,900 from family.

He explained that his solicitor transferred some of the money to the surrogacy agency, but he also had to “hand over €20,000 cash” when he landed in Kenya.

“We had to pay them off, give cash to doctors and others, just to get our girls. It was the only way. The feeling to now have them home, it is unbelievable.”

Mr O’Reilly called for the Government to intervene to legislate for commercial surrogacy in Ireland.

“We are not the first couple for this to happen to and we won’t be the last,” he said.