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Ireland's 2024 surrogacy framework is still being brought into force in stages. Choose the route that fits you to understand the current position, costs, safeguards and next steps.
Start with the questions everyone asks first.
What you need to know about the basics
Surrogacy is an arrangement where a woman (the surrogate) carries a pregnancy and gives birth for intended parents who cannot do so naturally. It's a path to parenthood for people with medical, biological, or personal reasons.
Gestational surrogacy uses an embryo created from intended parents' genetic material or donors. Traditional surrogacy uses the surrogate's egg. The 2024 Act describes a future gestational, altruistic framework, but its principal surrogacy provisions are not yet commenced.
Intended parents include couples with medical infertility, same-sex male couples, single parents, and those facing medical barriers to pregnancy. Potential surrogates are motivated by altruism and a desire to help others build their families.
Until 2024, surrogacy existed in a legal grey area in Ireland. The Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Act 2024 created the legislative framework and AHRRA was established in 2025, but key surrogacy provisions are still being commenced in stages.
What the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Act 2024 set up
The Assisted Human Reproduction Regulatory Authority (AHRRA) was established in 2025 and is the regulator created by the Act, with the full surrogacy framework being commenced in stages.
The Act sets out an altruistic-only framework for domestic surrogacy, but those provisions are not yet commenced.
The Act creates parental-order routes intended to address legal parenthood after birth. Those routes are not yet operational.
The Act provides for a national register in the future regulatory framework; the relevant surrogacy provisions are not yet operational.
Independent legal advice is essential. The Act builds that safeguard into its future statutory framework, which is not yet operational.
Counselling and screening are central to the enacted future model; those statutory surrogacy procedures are not yet operational.
Step-by-step guide to the process
Understand surrogacy, gather information, explore your motivations, and decide if it's right for you and your family. This site is a great starting point.
Consult with a solicitor experienced in surrogacy law. They'll explain your rights, obligations, and the legal process specific to Ireland.
For intended parents: fertility assessment and counselling. For surrogates: health screening and psychological evaluation to ensure readiness.
Check intermediaries carefully, protect sensitive information and ensure everyone has genuinely independent professional support.
Embryo creation (IVF), implantation into surrogate, and prenatal care. Medical teams support both surrogate and intended parents throughout.
Plan registration, parentage, guardianship, citizenship and travel documents with current legal advice. The Act's parental-order route is not yet operational.
Build an itemised budget instead of relying on a headline total
Budget separately for treatment, independent legal advice, counselling, documented expenses, travel, birth registration and contingency. Use the complete costs and financial-planning guide →
Wherever you are in the journey, register your interest and we'll point you towards current information and qualified professionals. No obligation.
Register Your InterestWhere to find help at every stage
Find a surrogacy solicitor experienced in Irish law for current advice on parentage and future parental orders, guardianship, consent and post-birth steps.
Ask clinics what treatment they provide, what licensing applies and what evidence they require for a proposed arrangement.
Counselling, support groups and peer networks can help at every stage. Use our guide to find and assess surrogacy support.
AHRRA (ahrra.ie), Citizens Information Ireland, and government resources provide official guidance on the 2024 Act, regulations, and your rights.
The principal domestic and international surrogacy provisions of the 2024 Act remain uncommenced. There is no operational AHRRA surrogacy application or parental-order route under those provisions.
There is no reliable universal total. Build an itemised budget for medical treatment, independent legal advice, counselling, documented expenses, travel, post-birth work and contingency. See the cost planning guide.
The 2024 Act is drafted to cover couples and single intended parents, including same-sex couples, but the practical route depends on the relevant provisions being in force and on current legal advice for your circumstances.
The 2024 Act provides for a future parental-order process, but that process is not yet operational. Parentage and guardianship under current law are fact-specific.
Yes. Independent legal advice is essential for any surrogacy journey in Ireland. The 2024 Act also sets out legal-advice requirements within the statutory framework as further provisions commence.
The enacted Act distinguishes reasonable expenses from payment, but those provisions are not yet commenced. Document proposed expenses and obtain current legal advice before agreeing or paying anything.
Choose a role-specific route, or send a general enquiry if you are not sure where to begin.
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