Surrogacy

The Supreme Court has ruled that a child born in the UK via a surrogacy arrangement was not entitled to Irish citizenship based on his non-biological father’s Irish citizenship. The parents were a same-sex married couple and had obtained a parental order in England, which was not available in

Children with experience of surrogacy are "in favour of legal reforms", according to a new study led by the University of Leicester. Using a combination of age-appropriate methods, including a "unique set of playing cards", researchers have drawn out their views on topics that included how the legal

Denmark's outright ban on adoption in the context of a commercial surrogacy agreement violated the rights of two children born to a surrogate mother, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has ruled.

Northern Ireland’s High Court has refused an application for judicial review where it was alleged that a same-sex couple suffered discrimination after being denied access to a publicly-funded IVF scheme. The court found that the criteria for obtaining access to the scheme were rational and pro

Government ministers have yet to reach a decision on whether to accept an Oireachtas committee's recommendation that international surrogacy should be included within an existing draft bill addressing domestic surrogacy. The joint committee on international surrogacy concluded earlier this month tha

A draft bill on domestic surrogacy should be amended to also establish a legislative framework for international surrogacy, an Oireachtas committee has recommended. The joint committee on international surrogacy has concluded that including international surrogacy in the Health (Assisted Human Repro

"We are on the cusp, I believe, of the commencement and introduction of one of the most transformational pieces of legislation in Irish history," says Annette Hickey, senior associate and head of the surrogacy and fertility law team at Poe Kiely Hogan Lanigan LLP (PKHL). Ms Hickey is one of a number

The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission has been granted liberty by the Supreme Court to exercise its amicus curiae function in a significant case relating to surrogacy, citizenship and children's rights. The case examines the citizenship of a child, known as "C", born through surrogacy in th

Ireland's special rapporteur on child protection has slammed government plans to leave international surrogacy unregulated, warning that it will allow couples "to bring children here in circumstances where surrogate mothers were seriously exploited or did not properly consent". Dr Conor O'Mahony, a

A special joint Oireachtas committee is being established by ministers to make recommendations on international surrogacy. There is currently no regulation of surrogacy, either altruistic or commercial, in Ireland. The Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Bill will regulate surrogacy within Ireland,

A special joint Oireachtas committee will be established to consider and make recommendations on assisted human reproduction and international surrogacy under government plans. Pressed on the issue in the Dáil yesterday, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said he acknowledged that legislation on th

New legislation is required to protect the rights of children in cases of donor-assisted human reproduction (DAHR) and surrogacy, a new report has recommended. The government has published a review by Professor Conor O'Mahony, special rapporteur on child protection, of children's rights and best int

Ireland's special rapporteur on child protection has been asked to review issues relating to surrogacy and LGBT+ people. Dr Conor O'Mahony, the child law expert appointed to the post last summer, will present his recommendations to Health Minister Simon Harris.

Over 40 members of the legal profession and community/voluntary representatives were welcomed to Law Society House for an event on surrogacy law reforms. The Law Commission of England and Wales is currently considering the legal parentage of children born via surrogacy, the regulation of surrogacy m

The laws around surrogacy in Britain are outdated and should be improved to better support the child, surrogates and intended parents, the Law Commission of England and Wales and the Scottish Law Commission have announced. Surrogacy is where a woman bears a child on behalf of someone else or a coupl