Health Minister Stephen Donnelly rejected all 15 proposed amendments to the Assisted Human Reproduction Bill proposed by Senator Keogan on June 20.
One amendment would have prohibited sex offenders, including pedophiles, from utilizing surrogacy to have children, which was rejected by Donnelly on claims that it would be up to the regulatory agency - which has not yet been established - to determine child safety assessments, per Reduxx.
"I am disappointed that the Minister will not accept amendment No. 15," said Keogan. "I have been a foster parent over the years and I can tell him that sexual crimes against children are not exclusive to men; they also apply in the case of women. It is disturbing that he will no accept that, particularly in the context of someone who has been convicted of a crime against a child."
Another amendment would have enacted harsh penalties, including imprisonment, should a baby buyer abandon a child conceived through surrogacy.
Koegan argued the amendment would serve as a deterrent against "irresponsible behavior" that could harm the well-being of both the child and birth mother.
In the surrogacy industry, child abandonment is a significant concern. According to reports from numerous countries, a significant number of biological parents abandon children, particularly those with disabilities, who are born through surrogacy. These children are then left in developing countries that lack the resources to provide necessary medical care, according to a report from the JPIA.
Furthermore, the health minister also rejected an amendment that would have prohibited single men from buying babies through surrogacy, which Donnelly ruled was "discriminatory."
Koegan also sought to increase the minimum residency requirement for surrogates and intending parents in Ireland from two to five years.
