Coming To Terms with Infertility

This session provides some useful tools and resources to assist and give you the strength to move forward.

Roisin Venables, Specialist Fertility Counsellor

Surrogacy & Donor Availability & Processes in the post- Covid landscape  (Click to view)

What’s the difference between a guarantee program vs pay-as you go? Can we ship embryos for surrogacy ? What are the latest developments, risks and newer options? This talk covers changes in countries open for surrogacy, embryo and sperm shipping; eligibility; the current situation in the US, Canada, Ukraine & Greece, and the pros and cons of emerging guarantee and shipped embryo programs for gay singles and couples in Cyprus, Albania, Colombia.

Sam Everingham, Growing Families

Legal Considerations for Irish Nationals Engaging in Surrogacy

Whether you are single or partnered, male or female, engaging with a surrogate in Ireland, the UK or another country, it is vital to understand the legal rights and responsibilities that apply to you and your surrogate or egg donor. Poe Kiely Hogan Lanigan are one of the few Irish law firms specialising in this area. This session provides an overview of what you need to consider, what documentation will be required, who is recongnised as legal parents anfd waht processes you can undertake to ensure Irish citizenship is awarded to your new-born, whereever they are born.

Annette Hickey, Poe Kiely Hogan Lanigan Solicitors

Surrogacy & Egg Donor IVF in Greece (Click to view)

For heterosexual couples and single females, Greece can offer a convenient and well-regulated destination for Donor-IVF and surrogacy, given the high standatrds of IVF, proximity and favourable laws providing pre-arrangement transfer of parentage. EmbryoClinic in Greece’s second-largest city, Thessalonii, has been offering solutions for European intended parents for many years. Reproductive Endocrinologist Dr Elias Tsakos provides a thorough overview of Greek processes, costs and timelines

Dr Elias Tsakos, EmbryoClinic, Greece

Latest Developments in Ukraine Surrogacy

Ukraine has been an incredibly popular destination for Irish nationals requiring surrogacy. However since Covid-19 hit, there have been significant changes to agencies such as Intersono, Ilaya and Mother & Child. While there remain stable and reliable providers, this talk outlines the key steps, the risks and how best to select an agency who will meet your needs and look after your surrogate well

Louise Riding, Nest & Co

Parent Panel

A panel of parents who have recently completed surrogacy in destinations such as Ukraine, Greece or US provide honest accounts of their journey, the highs and lows, what to expect in the covid era and the logistics of travel and maintaining your mental health in the context of cross-border surrogacy

Panelists: Gearoid Kenny-Moore (dad via US/UK surrogacy) Lucy Fallon (mum via Ukraine) Hugh Ramsay (dad via Canada/Ireland) Michael Vikatos (dad via Greece)

Maternal Rights for Irish mums via Surrogacy (click to view)

Still there is no efficient means to recognise Irish mothers via surrogacy as the legal parent of their child. While there are work-around solutions, a new advocacy group Irish Families Through Surrogacy is lobbying to amend the legislation. Mum via Ukraine Ciara Dowling provides an update.

Ciara Dowling, Irish Families Through Surrogacy