Up to 2,000 Irish children born through surrogacy do not have a formal recognition of the adults who commissioned them and wish to be recognised as their parents, an Oireachtas committee has heard. Almost no country in Europe recognises commercial surrogacy because critics says it commodifies children and exploits low-income women. Some countries also ban non-commercial surrogacy. Ireland is planning one of the most permissive surrogacy laws in Europe.

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said the retrospective recognition of parentage is the most “significant and eagerly awaited component of the whole legislation” for many parents across the country.

He was speaking at a committee meeting on the Assisted Human Reproduction (AHR) Bill whose purpose is to provide a legal framework for domestic and international surrogacy.

Mr Donnelly said the real number of children awaiting recognition of their parentage is unclear as there is no register, adding that estimates range from 300 to 500 before saying there may be 2,000 children.