Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome all on the panel this morning, including Ms Lacey and Mr. Giambrone, who addressed the committee on behalf of the Transgender Equality Network Ireland, TENI, as well as Dr. Crowley and those who have accompanied him from the HSE.

The statistics the panel have highlighted in respect of suicidal ideation among the trans population are most alarming. Suicide prevention is regularly an issue of address at the committee. I have it to say that the details raised have escaped the discourse to date, even at this committee. I welcome the fact that the members of the panel have highlighted them this morning because it is important that the seriousness of the matter is understood.

One point struck me from listening to and examining the contributions of Ms Lacey and Mr. Giambrone. I am unsure how to extrapolate the detail but I imagine it is like everything else relating to suicide and suicide attempts, that is, it is likely that we are not reflecting the full extent of it because we do not know the full extent. That is what it comes down to. As a society, we must come to terms with the fact that we have a high incidence not only of suicide but of suicide attempts and the underlying causes of suicidal ideation. We should be prepared, as a society, to step up to the plate and acknowledge that we are collectively contributing to this by our respective failures to understand, learn and broaden our awareness. Nowhere is this more in evidence than in respect of the testimonies that the panellists have given this morning.

I thank the panellists for their presentations. The fact that we are addressing the issues that impact on the trans population this morning is indicative of a changing outlook throughout society generally and that is to be welcomed. I commend people from all political backgrounds who have participated in this morning's engagement.

The panellists have left me with some concerns in respect of two of the contributions. Ms Lacey made reference to Senator Zappone's recently published Bill and Mr. Giambrone made reference to the fact that there have been two such Bills. However, he did not go on to say that Deputy McLellan and myself are proudly members of the party that published a gender recognition Bill only six weeks ago. I will not ask Mr. Giambrone to tell me what is deficient in it here and now, but he may have some comments. Our team worked very hard on bringing it forward and we are proud to stick our flag on it. I encourage all political parties and the political system to step up to the plate on this issue again. Political leadership is required as well as a willingness to do things. I commend my party colleague, the lead Deputy on the legislation, Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh. I am the health spokesperson but we collaborated on it. Deputy McLellan, who sits with me on the Joint Committee on Health and Children, and I are proud of the body of work that went into it.

I reckon the Chair will ring his bell shortly but I have a number of questions. Before I go to some of the questions one alarming point came across in Ms Lacey's contribution. She spoke about the services available to young people under the age of 16 years. It merits highlighting because in the next paragraph Ms Lacey stated that the family's primary focus was to keep their child alive until the age of 16 years. It is time for Ireland to waken up.