“I hear you’re a surrogate father now, Father.”

From Miriam Lord’s column in The IrishTimes yesterday. 

On Wednesday, Senator Rónán Mullen had a lot to say during the remaining stages of the landmark Bill on surrogacy and assisted human reproduction.He would be talking still if it hadn’t been guillotined.

 “On this issue of surrogacy, the mainstream media in this country has been the dog that has not barked, and it has failed, largely speaking, to shine a light on the Government’s bizarre, cruel and perverse proposals such as the ones I have just described. The reason for that is simple. It is always easier to focus on real- life human interest stories and we have celebrities who have obtained children through celibacy,” he declared, before realising his slip of the tongue.

“Celibacy? Celibacy? Good lord,” he exclaimed. “Surrogacy!” he shouted with a laugh. Fine Gael’s Mary Seery Kearney interjected: “They are allowed have children as well.”

Rónán chuckled: “But of course, it does allow it, actually, through celibacy, now that you mention it. But you have this bizarre situation where high-profile people have been able and enabled to have children through surrogacy.”

Celibate dads, says Rónán.

To paraphrase that famous line from Father Ted: “I hear you’re a surrogate father now, Father.”