Edward O’Reilly is a frustrated man after he was unable to pick up his three daughters born via a surrogate agency in Nairobi.
Speaking to the press from Ireland, the Irish national recounted the agony he went through, including a battering in Nairobi streets, while trying to get his daughters to his mother country.
According to the 33-year-old, the three were born prematurely on September 1 under a surrogacy programme after paying an agreed upon fee of Ksh5.9 million (€50,000).
The trouble, however, began after he arrived when the agency informed him that he needed to pay an additional Ksh1.8 million (€16,000).
“Instead of getting on the plane with three babies, I’m coming back with three birth certs.
“I’ve come back to an apartment full of baby stuff, cots, prams, and clothing. I’ve just been looking at it all the last few days, I can’t explain the feeling. I’m devastated," he told Dublin Live, an Irish media outlet.
Additionally, he was also presented with hospital bills that had ballooned to Ksh1.4 million (€12,000) as well as Ksh1.3 million as fee to medics.
He claimed that the Irish Embassy did not offer any help and at some point, while in Kenya, he was roughed up in the streets.
“Since I’ve come home, I’ve been crying myself to sleep. I pleaded with the Irish government, I have a video on my phone in the embassy saying, ‘Please give me help’ and there was nothing they could do.
"Obviously, I can’t blame the Irish Government for me putting myself in this situation but they could have handled it a little better," he decried.
According to the Kenyan Constitution, surrogacy is not well governed.
A Vitro Fertilization regulation allowing heterosexual couples to hire a surrogacy to carry their pregnancy is still pending.
