The bill purports to ban commercial surrogacy contracts in Ireland, but allows the payment so-called ‘reasonable expenses’ including any ‘loss of earnings’ while a woman is donating an egg or working as a surrogate.

It also provides legal recognition of those who engage in surrogacy contracts abroad, including commercial contracts.

One of the opponents of the bill, Senator Ronan Mullen, said it was a sad outcome because of the denial of human rights and the exploitation of surrogate women that will result from it.

He said “the day will come when we will look back and say this was retrograde legislation because it put the rights and aspirations of some people ahead of the rights of others and did damage to other people’s rights. I think we will see the day where this legislation is reversed because it is wrong to deny children their rights upfront and in advance. It is wrong to deny the real experience of surrogates who are abused”.