Clinics who carry out stem cell research may be regulated under new Government legislation.
The Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children today begins hearings on the ethics and legality of the controversial practice to assist human reproduction.
Fianna Fáil TD and committee chairman John Moloney said: "As an all-party committee we will have to decide if we need regulation in this important area and make recommendations to the Government on the issue."
Mr Moloney recently travelled to Italy to study new developments in embryonic stem cell research.
The committee will begin hearings today on the recent report from the Commission on Assistant Human Reproduction.
The report said that embryos should only enjoy legal protection after being implanted in a womb.
PA