A sperm bank has been opened at the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin and the first donation will be made next week. However, the Department of Health has been criticised for refusing to fund the service by the doctor who runs it. Prof Robert Harrison, director of the Human Assisted Reproduction Ireland (HARI) unit at the Rotunda Hospital, said the facility is for men with cancer, those who may be made infertile through chemotherapy, or paraplegics. Previously, they had to travel to Northern Ireland to have their sperm frozen for future use. It may be stored for up to 20 years. He claimed the Government had asked them to set up this sperm bank but now refused to fund it.
"We do this to give people hope, something to live for in the future. To me it is very sad that the Government do not see fit to fund it. We are not out to make a profit and it has nothing to do with assisted reproduction. A community should look after its own health needs," said Prof Harrison, speaking at the official opening of the newly constructed £800,000 HARI unit.
He said 681 babies had who have a low sperm count where a single sperm is injected into a single egg. Included in those were 120 sets of twins, 35 triplets and five sets of quads. Some women get pregnant following the first cycle of treatment but others required further attempts. Prof Harrison said 36 per cent of women get pregnant and 29 per cent "take home babies". Each cycle of treatment costs £1,600 and is tax-deductible.
HARI is a self-funding, non-profit unit, on the campus of the Rotunda Hospital. Ovulation induction monitoring, counselling, psychosocial and psychosexual therapy are also carried out.