National Infertility Support and Information Group

Lobbying Organisation National Infertility Support and Information Group

Date published 21 Jan, 2021

Relevant Matter Legislation

Public Policy Area Health

Period 1 Sep, 2020 to 31 Dec, 2020

Specific Details NISIG is the only Irish charity supporting and advocacy on behalf of those experiencing fertility issues. NISIG is now part of a broader AHR Coalition Group formed in 2020 comprising LGBT Ireland, 221 Plus group, Equality for Children and the Rainbow Families Equality Network. A main aim of the coalition is to ensure that equality is secured, and the human rights of children conceived using AHR, their intended parents and families are protected and advanced in legislation and policy.

Intended results To secure a meeting with the Minister of Further & Higher Education Simon Harris (former ex Minister of Health), to get his views and input on how to progress the proposed AHR legislation, particularly from the perspective of the human rights and equality of children conceived via AHR, their intended parents and families

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Gillian Keegan

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) No

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? No

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Email (2-5)

Gillian Keegan, NISIG, was in email contact with Stephen Nolan from Minister Simon Harris's Wicklow Constituency Office in relation to organising a Virtual Meeting with Minister Simon Harris to discuss the proposed Assisted Human Reproduction Legislation.

Virtual Meeting (1)

Gillian Keegan from NISIG had a virtual meeting with Minister of Further & Higher Education Simon Harris on December 11th 2020. We discussed how to progress the proposed AHR legislation with a key focus on the human rights and equality of children conceived via Assisted Human Reproduction, their intended parents and families. Also, discussed briefly was the just released Annual Child Protection report by Connor O' Mahony, special rapporteur on child protection, particularly in relation to the parental rights for families using surrogacy and other forms of assisted human reproduction.

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Simon Harris Minister (Department of Further and Higher Education, Innovation and Science)