SEANAD REPORT:THE OIREACHTAS was displaying cowardice over the need to enact legislation to regulate assisted human reproduction, Ivana Bacik (Labour) said.

The Supreme Court had reminded legislators of the overdue nature of such legislation. Mr Justice Adrian Hardiman had stated that there was a marked reluctance on the part of the Oireachtas to legislate on the issues around assisted human reproduction.

“It is not just a marked reluctance, it is a cowardice and it is a cowardice which we need to confront . . . and Judge Hardiman says that by default Ireland is going to become an unregulated environment for these practices.”

Eugene Regan (Fine Gael) said the court had pointed out that the human embryo was entitled to respect and that was a matter for the legislature. An excellent report had been produced by the Commission on Assisted Human Reproduction, and the State had signed up to a number of European conventions, “so I think the way is clear for the Oireachtas . . . to come forward with legislation”.

Ronan Mullen (Independent) said the Supreme Court decision left parliamentarians in a situation where they must now legislate to protect the human embryo.

“We will also need legislation to protect the human embryo in the context of assisted human reproduction. I support the call for legislation; it must be ethical legislation, it must be inclusive and it must cherish all the children of the nation equally.”

John Hanafin (Fianna Fáil) said he would welcome an opportunity to debate the legislation that was necessary to protect the unborn and to afford the respect to the embryo that had been advocated by the Supreme Court.

“We should legislate properly for the embryo and particularly for the embryo in vitro, as distinct from in vivo which was upheld by the Supreme Court.”

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The Green Party now had electoral representation in all four provinces and in all five European election constituencies, newly elected party Senator Niall Ó Brolcháin said after taking his seat.

“I think we can possibly claim to be the first party to represent every single community of this island . . . I hope other parties follow suit on that.”

Denis O’Donovan (FF) said he wanted to express grave concern at the suggestion by the Irish Council for Civil Liberties that people should run away rather than fight to protect their homes.

Referring to the approach taken by the Law Reform Commission on proposed legal entitlements for homeowners, he said he wanted to congratulate the Minister for Justice for his willingness to legislate for the recommendations in the commission’s report.