Implications of recent developments in Ireland for the status of the embryo

One of the most significant developments in the area of reproductive health in Ireland is the Roche v. Roche [2009] case.¹ The case concerned a woman who wished to implant cryopreserved embryos made with a former partner, against the partner's wishes. Of particular interest are questions about the status of the embryo: in Ireland the life of "the unborn" is constitutionally protected. Therefore the courts in Roche had to decide whether embryos were "unborn" within the meaning of the Irish Constitution.