Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I completely agree on the urgency. It is a priority of the Department of Health and HSE to provide a transgender healthcare service that is aligned with best practice internationally and meets the needs of children and adults.

Dr. Cass from the National Health Service came to Ireland at the start of this year and presented the findings of her interim report to a wide range of stakeholders from the HSE, the Department, Children's Health Ireland, Ireland East Hospital Group and others involved in providing services. This facilitated a really constructive and informative discussion about the challenges in developing gender services in Ireland, given the limited availability of data and evidence on which to base the clinical approach and also the recruitment challenges.

That meeting helped to inform the HSE on its next steps. I think that is what the Deputy is alluding to when she asks about timelines for developing the programme of work, including the development of a new model of care. It is important that supports are in place in psychology, psychiatry and endocrinology, especially for those with gender dysphoria. I will come back to the Deputy about timelines as I know the HSE is engaging in the next steps of this process.

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