Political reaction: The Government has yet to decide on whether to introduce laws defining the status of frozen embryos and it is unlikely to do so before the general election.
Yesterday Minister for Health Mary Harney said legislation on assisted human reproduction was being prepared, and that officials will examine the High Court decision as part of this process.
However, The Irish Times understands that the current legislation being drafted relates primarily to the regulation of fertility clinics and fertility treatment, and does not include sections defining the status of frozen embryos.
The legislation is not expected to be published before next summer at the earliest.
The Government has to date been reluctant to move on legislation in the area of reproduction, after it lost a referendum four years ago on the issue of the protection of the unborn.
It has yet to act on a key recommendation from the Government-appointed Commission on Assisted Human Reproduction, which advised 18 months ago that legal protections for the unborn should not apply to embryos until they are implanted in the womb.
Instead it referred the whole report to the Oireachtas Committee on Health, which in turn appointed a three-person committee, including Fianna Fáil TD and chairman John Moloney, PD TD Fiona O'Malley and Independent Senator Mary Henry.
In a statement yesterday the Department of Health said this was because this would "allow for further consideration of the complex issues involved and the committee's report, along with the report of the Commission on Assisted Human Reproduction, will help to inform future policy in this area".
The committee has produced an unpublished draft report, which agrees with many commission recommendations. These include the establishment of a new regulatory body for fertility treatment.
Yesterday Mr Moloney said the High Court decision would be examined by the subcommittee but said it was "unlikely" that the report would be completed until the Supreme Court ruled on the case.