Today the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is discussing surrogacy which is very important issue. We do not have a roadmap for those who become parents through surrogacy and we do not have the correct status. A mother told me she had to sit in the carpark of a children's hospital while her young child was inside as she is not recognised as the child's legal guardian. Surrogacy advocates ask that children born here are legally recognised, but, and this is important, it is a separate issue to those who will become parents in the future through international surrogacy. They must also be legislated for. We need to look at how we can separate these two issues. It does not fall under the remit of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, but the Departments of Justice, Health and Transport. Will the Taoiseach tell me when the special joint Oireachtas committee on international surrogacy be set up? It is urgent.

I thank Deputy Murnane O'Connor for raising a very important issue. I understand the concern of parents and the need for recognition of Irish citizens born through surrogacy and the rights of parents in that situation. Legislation is being developed by the Minister for Health to come before the House and it will be published shortly. The special Oireachtas committee will be established with the objective of the topic being debated by all Members of the Houses to try to arrive at a consensus and conclusion on it.