A dad whose triplets were born via surrogacy in Kenya faces paying an extra €39,000 (£34,000) to bring them home.
Edward O’Reilly’s three daughters were born prematurely on September 1 and he raced to Nairobi to see his newborns.
The surrogacy service he used then demanded a further €16,000 (£14,000) when he arrived, despite already paying €50,000 (£43,570) and being told that covered all the expenses.
Mr O'Reilly was also slapped with another €12,000 (£10,460) in hospital bills for the babies' medication and food, DublinLive reports.
And the 33-year-old has been told he's liable to pay another €11,000 (£9,580) towards the medics.
Mr O'Reilly says the cost of the bills is rising every day as he had pleaded with the Irish Embassy in Kenya for help while he was there but eventually left the country last week without his children.
He also told of a further distressing incident in which he was violently beaten on the streets and said he was left fearful for his life.
Mr O'Reilly said it will be easier to raise the funds in Ireland than in Kenya and said he plans on returning as soon as possible to get his kids home.
Speaking from his Dublin home, he told DublinLive: “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.”
Mr O'Reilly said while he was in Kenya, he pleaded with the Irish Embassy for help but said they did nothing.
He says he had to abandon the children in Kenya as the surrogacy agency he had used started demanding more money before they would release the children
He added: “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.”
Mr O'Reilly said the Government was able to assist those fleeing the war in Ukraine but has failed to help him.
He added: “I’m in my own war, I know the situation is different to the one in Ukraine but I’d rather be in a bombshell in Ukraine with my kids in my arms than have them 5,000 miles away from me, not knowing if they’re safe or not.”
His three children remain in a Kenyan hospital where they continue to receive treatment for being born prematurely but he is fearful about what will happen to them if he doesn’t raise the money.
He added: “I’m very worried, I’m scared. I’m petrified, I’m worried that my children are going to be taken out of the hospital.
“I’m 5,000 miles away and they’re in a hospital. That’s three Irish citizens, three babies who can’t speak for themselves or defend themselves.” At present, there are no laws governing surrogacy in Kenya.
The Department of Foreign Affairs told The Mirror: “The Department of Foreign Affairs is aware of the case and is providing consular assistance. As with all consular cases, the Department does not comment on the details of any individual case.”
