I refer to promised legislation in the area of IVF. I understand this is just one part of a number of legal reforms that need to be made in regard to good governance. As we know, one in six couples are having trouble conceiving. For all of them, it brings with it a great emotional toll, as well as financial hardship, and every month that passes is causing more emotional and financial hardship. When will this be available for the women who need it? I also want an assurance that it will be for all, regardless of income.

The heads of the assisted human reproduction Bill were agreed by Cabinet in the last few weeks and we expect it to go to committee for pre-legislative scrutiny as soon as possible. It is a complicated area. Legislating for and regulating assisted human reproduction is not straightforward but plenty of other countries do it and we should do it, although we are well behind others in that regard. Once that legislation is through, it will facilitate us to bring in a scheme of financial support for this treatment. While the detail of that has not been worked out, the Deputy will be aware the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, has done a study which sets out some of the options. Some financial support is already available in that IVF and other treatments are tax deductible and one can claim 20% back in tax and the medicines associated with it are covered under the drugs payment scheme. Nonetheless, it is the strong view of the Government that we should be doing much better. Many couples who have difficulties with fertility borrow a lot of money and even re-mortgage their houses on occasion to pay for this treatment. We need to do better by them. Before we can put in place a scheme of financial support to do that or treat it as a normal medical treatment, as we should, we first must make sure we legislate for it and regulate it.