The Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, has expressed his ’empathy’ for international commercial surrogacy even though almost every European country bans it on the grounds that it exploits women and commodifies children.

He was responding in the Dail to questions from deputies who support changes to Irish law to facilitate and encourage such arrangements.

Patrick Costello of the Green Party said he had been at a protest outside Leinster House by a number of parents of children born through commercial surrogacy who are “looking for the most basic of rights for those children to be recognised, namely, the right to a family”.

Commercial surrogacy usually involves paying a woman thousands of euro to carry a child on behalf of the commissioning couple or single adult.

Children’s Minister, Roderick O’Gorman, said the Government “must act” and said Justice Minister, Helen McEntee, would be bringing forward a proposal for a special Oireachtas committee on the matter.

Fianna Fail deputy, Christopher O’Sullivan made a plea to the Taoiseach to ensure that international surrogacy would be included in an upcoming assisted human reproduction Bill.

The Taoiseach replied that he was “very empathetic with the issue of international surrogacy”.

“A memorandum will be brought to the Government from those Ministers embracing their Departments with legislative proposals to deal with these issues. The purpose is to ensure that the rights, interests and welfare of all persons involved – children born through surrogacy, intending parents and surrogacy parents – are considered,” he said.