Explanatory Memorandum: Children and Family Relationships (Amendment) Bill 2023

Introduction/Purpose of this Bill

The purpose of this Bill is to expand pathways to parentage for persons parenting donor conceived children without legal recognition as a

parent. This Bill allows for individuals to apply for parentage where their child is born outside of the State, conceived outside of the State, born outside

a donor assisted human reproduction (DAHR) facility and where, they used a known donor prior to the commencement of the Children and

Family Relationships Act 2015 (“The 2015 Act”). This Bill also incorporates the best interests principle into the 2015 Act and provides for ancillary matters, including a presumption of maternity for same sex female couples, citizenship for donor conceived children and a confirmation of the 2015 Act’s application to parents who use their own gamete.

You can read the explanatory memorandum in full here.