On 24th and 25th April 2025, Prof Aisling McMahon and Alanna Kells (PhD Candidate), School of Law and Criminology, Maynooth University, hosted a multi-disciplinary workshop examining the ‘Regulation of Assisted Human Reproductive Technologies in Ireland: Current, Emerging & Future – Ethical, Legal and Societal Considerations’ in Maynooth University.
Over the course of two days, the workshop brought together over 20 leading national and international speakers drawn from a range of academic disciplines and practice, including law, business, health, social sciences, ethics, embryology and clinical fields. The workshop focused on examining ethical, legal and societal issues related to the regulation of emerging assisted human reproductive technologies in Ireland. In this context, it focused on the recently adopted Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Act 2024 which was signed into law in Ireland on 2nd July 2024, and awaits commencement at the time of writing (June 2025). This Act provides for a tailored legal and regulatory framework for assisted human reproduction in Ireland, including providing for the establishment of a new regulatory body: the Assisted Human Reproduction Regulatory Authority (AHRRA) in Ireland.
The workshop focused on two key aspects of the legal framework: First, speakers considered the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Act 2024 including how it will interact and sit within existing legal, constitutional and regulatory frameworks in Ireland. Speakers also considered how various provisions within this Act will address existing ethical, legal and societal issues related to assisted human reproductive technologies, including in the context of surrogacy, and around the use, storage and donation of gametes (egg and sperm) and embryos. Alongside this, the workshop featured papers examining ethical, legal and societal issues related to emerging assisted human reproductive technologies, including gametogenesis, mitochondrial donation technologies, ectogenesis etc. Discussions considered a range of ethical, legal and societal challenges related to such emerging technologies, how these issues are being considered in other jurisdictions, and potential future implications for the Irish context.
The event was attended by approx. 30 people over two days and featured insightful timely discussions with leading experts in the field. The workshop report provides an overview of the workshop and is available to read here Regulation of Assisted Human Reproductive Technologies Workshop Report
You can also find a short blog article in the Ideas and ALL blog which highlights some of the recent Irish legal developments in the assisted human reproduction context, and provides an overview to the main aims and focus the workshop here.
Acknowledgments: The organisers are very grateful to the Assisted Living and Learning (ALL Institute) and School of Law and Criminology, Maynooth University for their support in the organisation and funding for this event
The organisers are very grateful to the speakers and participants for attending and participating in this workshop.
The workshop report is available to read below:
Regulation of Assisted Human Reproductive Technologies Workshop Report