Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for the response. I acknowledge that the Minister has spoken to me about his commitment to ensuring that while we currently have no service for children and adults who are transgender, he is very committed to having one and I have no reason to disbelieve him. I absolutely agree on that. It is important, however, that we pause that review, the reason being that concerns about the Cass report are such that it is now under investigation by the British Medical Association, BMA. Members of the BMA's council recently voted in favour of a motion asking the association to review the Cass report after doctors and academics in several countries, including the UK, voiced concern about weaknesses in the methodology used in the review. We should not be reviewing something so questionable that it is being questioned in the territory in which it was produced.

We also know from a 2021 EU Tip of the Iceberg report that a significant amount of the political activity we saw in the UK around this issue is funded by foreign entities, including Russia. The intention is to do exactly what the Cass review is helping to do, which is create a culture war rallying point rooted in fear and marginalising vulnerable groups. I hope the HSE will recognise that questioning of the Cass review. If the BMA is undertaking an evaluation of the review and pausing to look at it, we should do the same.

Ireland has a very sad and difficult history in trying to control people's choice around their bodies and policing their sexuality. Nowhere in all of this is the person often heard. It is a top down attempt at politicising people's lived experience. The Cass review is bad science and I hope the HSE will undertake to pause its review.

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