Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The programme for Government commits to ensuring a transgender healthcare service that is based on clinical evidence, respect, inclusiveness and compassion. A new model of care is currently under development to strengthen and standardise care, ensuring safety and best practice. My Department provided €770,000 in budget 2025 to support this. The clinical lead has been appointed, a cross speciality clinical advisory group has been established and a review of the evidence base is under way. A community pilot project to identify the needs of children and young people who are gender questioning will also commence in the coming months. The model of care will be developed in a consultative way, engaging with healthcare professionals in gender healthcare, stakeholders, including people with lived and living experience and the families of people who use and receive support from services.

It is important that the HSE is given time to develop a model of care that is based on the best clinical evidence and that will deliver the best outcomes for people with gender dysphoria based on respect, compassion and understanding. As the Deputy may be aware, the WHO’s international classification was updated to its current version, ICD-11, in 2019 and gender identity-related health diagnoses were moved from the chapter on mental and behavioural disorders into the new chapter on conditions related to sexual health.

It is important to note that the ICD-11 is not clinical guidance for gender healthcare. It is a system of classification where criteria for various diagnoses are described. From our perspective, we want a holistic, compassionate, respectful service at every stage of a young person's or adult's journey, at every point of contact. That is the approach I will take as will everyone in the Department of Health, including all the Ministers of State, to this issue and I know it is the approach of this House.

See this speech in context