Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 October 2025
725. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the funding provided to the Assisted Human Reproduction Regulatory Authority in Budget 2026; to provide a detailed breakdown of this allocation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56518/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Act 2024 was signed into law by the President on 2 July 2024.
I am pleased to say that I have signed Orders formally establishing the Assisted Human Reproduction Regulatory Authority (AHRRA), as provided for in the legislation, and appointing the first Board, including a Chairperson, from 13 October 2025. The AHR legislation will provide for the introduction, for the first time, of a new regulatory environment for a wide range of complex assisted human reproduction practices within Ireland and, indeed, in respect of surrogacy and donor-assisted human reproduction procedures, potentially even some undertaken in other jurisdictions. It is important that establishing a new state agency in this environment is done in a way that can allow it to operate effectively in order to deliver its statutory functions.
Even now that it has been formally established, the Deputy will note that it is going to take some time for the AHRRA to be fully operational as it will be responsible for a considerable number of very complex functions. Since the Board has just been put in place, and the agency has just come into legal existence, it does not have any staff as yet. It is a function of the Board to appoint those staff, including the chief executive officer, for which a campaign is underway. It will be a matter for the Board and the CEO to identify the other skills and competencies that will be required to enable the agency to begin working on the functions provided for the AHRRA in the legislation.
An appropriate budget allocation will be provided for the AHRRA in 2026. While I am not in a position to confirm the exact amount at this time as it is subject to finalisation, I can assure the Deputy that the allocation will be adequate for the purposes of ensuring the AHRRA is staffed appropriately and can put in place the processes necessary to start fulfilling its functions. It is my intention that all appropriate supports will be provided by my Department to ensure the AHRRA can operate with the highest standards of prudence, ethics and transparency as set out in the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies and can start delivering on the statutory mandate provided for it in the Act.
