The Irish government plans to ban anonymous sperm donation under new draft legislation. The Children and Family Relationships Bill will require clinics and hospitals from early next year to provide details of donors and children to a national donor-conceived person register.

According to Irish Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald: “The key issue is to enable a child to know his or her identity. As a result anonymous donation will be prohibited,” the justice minister added.

Donor Offspring Europe welcomes the Irish government’s decision to respect and protect the rights of donor conceived persons and hopes that other European countries that still allow anonymous donations will follow.