What assurances can the Minister's Department offer to children who find that the State does not consider their mother their legal parent? This relates to children who have been born through surrogacy. Any proposed legislation is still some time away. What proposals are there to protect children's rights and welfare in the interim? I know the Minister supports resolving this issue and has met with relevant groups. I am just taking the opportunity to raise the issue again.

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

I agree with pretty much everything the Deputy has said. The issue of international surrogacy will have to be addressed. We know it is a very sensitive and complex area. We have to ensure that whatever measures we bring forward offer protection for children when they come to Ireland and for their parents but they should also offer protection to the surrogate mother. That is really important. This person will probably be in another jurisdiction and we have to be sure that protections are in place for her and that the child conceived through surrogacy can seek to establish relations with his or her surrogate mother in the future if he or she wishes to do so. The Deputy is absolutely right with regard to the children who are here now who were conceived through different techniques. The law we are bringing forward must address all of their situations, which are often quite different from one another. Bespoke legal solutions may be needed for each situation in which children have been conceived.

I have two suggestions for practical solutions. With regard to the upcoming legislation, could the Minister and the Ministers for Health and Justice write to the committee to see if the pre-legislative scrutiny stage can be progressed as a matter of urgency? I believe it falls under the remit of the Joint Committee on Health although I would argue that some of it should fall under the remit of the Joint Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth as it affects children's rights. Given that there is consensus on this matter, I believe the Bill could move through the committee and through the Houses very quickly. I believe everyone would support it. That is my first suggestion because we need to look at the legislation and the issue of international surrogacy.

With regard to children who are already with us, the surrogacy groups have really good legal representation and really good solutions based on international best practice. I know the Minister has met with these groups but is it possible to have a more formal meeting between the three relevant Ministers and Departments and those groups to discuss how to formalise the situations of these children so that they can be taken out of this grey area? I believe that could be done within a matter of months.

I know I have gone over my time but I will very briefly note that, over the past two years, we have seen that legislation can be passed quickly when there is an emergency. We can do the same with regard to children and surrogacy.

I certainly agree. Urgency is important in this regard. However, I am sure the Deputy will agree that it is important we get this right in light of the complexity and the different situations we are dealing with. As I have said, a Bill on AHR is being advanced by the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly. I believe it underwent pre-legislative scrutiny in the term of the previous Oireachtas. However, as the Deputy has pointed out, it does not address the area of international surrogacy. An Oireachtas committee could be useful in addressing that matter. I know the Ministers, Deputies Stephen Donnelly and McEntee, have been engaging very intensively on this issue. While, as Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, I obviously have to ensure the best-interests principle is always respected, the actual legislative power lies primarily with the Ministers for Health and Justice. I know that their two Departments have been engaging very intensively and that the Minister, Deputy McEntee, in particular is very eager for the engagement we have had with the groups, which, as the Deputy has said, are expert in this area, to continue. I am sure that engagement will continue.