Yes. Surrogacy became fully legal and regulated in Ireland under the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Act 2024. The Act established altruistic gestational surrogacy as the permitted form, created the AHRRA regulatory authority, introduced parental orders, and set out requirements for surrogacy agreements, counselling, and independent legal advice. Commercial (paid) surrogacy remains prohibited.

Ireland's first law governing surrogacy and assisted reproduction. It regulates altruistic domestic surrogacy, establishes the AHRRA regulatory authority, introduces parental orders so intended parents can obtain legal parenthood after birth, creates a national surrogacy register, and sets mandatory requirements for independent legal advice and counselling. Read our full 2024 Act explainer.

AHRRA — the Assisted Human Reproduction Regulatory Authority — is the statutory body established by the 2024 Act to oversee all assisted human reproduction in Ireland. AHRRA approves surrogacy arrangements before they can proceed, registers fertility clinics and counsellors, and maintains the national AHR register. It was formally established on 13 October 2025. See our guide to what AHRRA does.

A court order that transfers legal parenthood from the surrogate to the intended parents after the child is born. Under the 2024 Act, the surrogate is the legal mother at birth. The parental order process — applied for after birth — legally extinguishes the surrogate's parental rights and establishes the intended parents as the child's legal parents. A solicitor is required for this process. Read our full guide to parental orders in Ireland.

Yes. The 2024 Act explicitly includes same-sex male couples as eligible intended parents. Surrogacy is one of the primary routes to biological parenthood for male couples in Ireland. The Act requires that at least one intended parent has a genetic connection to the child, so one partner's sperm would typically be used with a donor egg. Read our guide to surrogacy for same-sex couples.

Yes. Single intended parents are eligible under the 2024 Act, provided they meet the other eligibility criteria. A single intended parent must have a genetic connection to the child (their egg or sperm must be used). Donor eggs or sperm can supplement where needed.

Yes. There is no legal prohibition on using a friend or family member as your surrogate, provided all eligibility requirements are met — the surrogate must be 21 or over, meet health criteria, and have previously given birth. AHRRA will assess the arrangement and counselling will explore the relationship dynamics carefully. Many clinics conduct additional assessment when close family relationships are involved.

Gestational surrogacy is where the surrogate carries an embryo created through IVF — she has no genetic connection to the child. The embryo is created from the intended parents' eggs and/or sperm (or donors). This is the only form of surrogacy permitted under the Irish 2024 Act. Traditional surrogacy (where the surrogate uses her own egg) is not recognised.

Altruistic surrogacy means the surrogate is motivated by a desire to help others and cannot receive payment for carrying the pregnancy. Under Irish law, surrogates can be reimbursed for reasonable documented expenses — medical costs, travel, maternity clothing, loss of earnings — but cannot receive a fee or payment beyond this. Commercial surrogacy is prohibited in Ireland.

Domestic surrogacy in Ireland typically takes 2–4 years from start to finish. This includes finding a surrogate (6–18 months), completing legal and counselling requirements (3–6 months), IVF and embryo transfer (variable, may require multiple cycles), pregnancy (9 months), and the post-birth parental order process. International surrogacy can be faster but has additional legal complexity.

Finding a surrogate is often the most challenging part of the process. Ireland has no surrogacy matching agency. Most surrogates are found through personal networks, online community groups, or fertility clinic connections. Some people find surrogates through support organisations like Nurture or through clinic recommendation. AHRRA may provide additional guidance as the framework matures. Patience is essential — the pool of potential surrogates in Ireland is relatively small.

Under the 2024 Act, the surrogate is the legal mother at birth. Before a parental order is granted, she retains legal parental rights. If a surrogate changes her mind about relinquishing the child, this creates a complex legal situation that will ultimately be decided by the courts, with the child's best interests paramount. This is one of the key reasons thorough pre-arrangement counselling and legal advice exist: to ensure genuine informed consent and commitment from all parties before the arrangement proceeds.

Domestic surrogacy main costs: IVF (€4,000–8,000 per cycle), legal fees for both parties (€5,000–15,000+), counselling, and AHRRA fees. Total typically ranges from €15,000 to €40,000+ depending on IVF success rates. International surrogacy costs significantly more — typically €40,000 to €100,000+ depending on destination. See our full surrogacy cost breakdown.

Yes — it is a legal requirement. Both intended parents and the surrogate must each have their own independent solicitor before any arrangement can be approved by AHRRA. You also need a solicitor to handle the post-birth parental order application. Use a solicitor with specific AHR and surrogacy law experience. See our Find a Solicitor directory.

Yes. Mandatory independent counselling for the surrogate is a legal requirement before AHRRA approval. Counselling must be by an AHRRA-approved counsellor. Counselling for intended parents is strongly recommended and typically required by fertility clinics. See our Find a Counsellor directory.

Yes. International surrogacy in the US, Canada, Georgia, Greece, or other destinations is legally possible for Irish parents, though complex. The main challenge is bringing the child to Ireland: you need to establish Irish citizenship through the genetic-parent connection and obtain travel documents before leaving. A solicitor experienced in international surrogacy is essential. Read our full guide to international surrogacy for Irish parents.