The Minister for Health Mary Harney has asked officials in her Department to examine the introduction of State funding for the provision of assisted reproduction services for the first time.
She told the Dáil that she was conscious of the financial burden that assisted human reproduction treatment could place on couples and that she had asked her Department to "consider policy" in this area.
In a question to Ms Harney, the Labour leader Pat Rabbitte suggested that in vitro fertilisation treatment could cost in the region of €4,000, making it beyond the reach of the majority of people.
If implemented, the introduction of State funding for assisted human reproduction services would mark a significant policy shift on the part of the Government.
A recent report on the future of maternity and gynaecology services carried out by the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists recommended that assisted reproduction services should be publicly funded.
It said that at present access to such services in Ireland was "inequitable" as they were only available in the private sector.
Around eight centres across the country now provide assisted reproduction services. Three of these centres are linked to public hospitals but are privately funded.
Ms Harney said that persons undergoing assisted human reproduction treatment were eligible for tax relief on the medical expenses incurred.
She also said that the drug payment scheme covered a number of drugs which are used as part of such treatment.
The Minister also said that she had asked her Department to begin work on the development of an appropriate regulatory framework to govern assisted reproduction services.
This issue was first proposed more than a decade ago when Michael Noonan of Fine Gael was minister for health.
Ms Harney said that the Commission on Assisted Human Reproduction, which was established in March 2000, had been asked to prepare a report "on the possible approaches to the regulation of all aspects of assisted human reproduction and the social, ethical and legal factors to be taken into account in determining public policy in this area.
"The Commission published its report in May 2005. This was the first step in determining a policy response to assisted human reproduction (AHR) and it made 40 recommendations on AHR services in Ireland," she said.
"The key recommendation of the Commission is that a regulatory body should be established by an Act of the Oireachtas to regulate AHR services in Ireland. The Commission proposed that this body be accountable to the Minister for Health and Children and that it would have regulatory, advisory and executive powers in relation to permitted AHR services.
"The Government decided to refer the report to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children so that the Committee could consider and report in due course, on its views of the recommendations of the Commission. The Committee was considered an appropriate forum in which to subject the report to structured democratic and political analysis and scrutiny," she said.
Ms Harney said that in the meantime, cognisant of the amount of work required, she had instructed her Department to begin work on the development of an appropriate regulatory framework.
She said that as part of the analysis of the complex issues involved, the report of the Joint Oireachtas Committee, when completed, as well as any judgement in the Supreme Court in the frozen embryos case, would be taken into account.
