Legislation now needed to protect human embryo

Independent NUI Senator Rónán Mullen has called for legislation to protect the human embryo after today’s Supreme Court decision in the R v. R case.

“Clearly everyone is in agreement that the embryo is deserving of at least some respect. This case highlights that our Constitution does not extend legal protection to the embryo and hence it is up to the Oireachtas to legislate in order to protect the embryo from deliberate destruction. This is the most basic level of respect we as a society can show to members of the human family,” stated Senator Mullen.

“What must not happen is for regulation of such life and death matters to be left to any unelected quango, as has happened in Britain where thousands of human embryos are routinely destroyed each year for zero scientific or therapeutic benefit,” Senator Mullen said. “Legislation will need to be highly specific about what is to be permitted and what is to be restricted.”

“The time is now right for the re-introduction of my Stem Cell Research (Protection of Human Embryos) Bill which would prohibit any research involving or deriving from the destruction of human embryos. I call on the Government to adopt this model, especially in the light of the progress made with ethically uncontroversial alternatives to embryo destructive research. Separate legislation will be required to deal with issues arising with assisted human reproduction.”

“Any legislation which permits the intentional destruction of human beings at the earliest stages of their existence would be grossly unethical and socially damaging,” Senator Mullen concluded.