Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)

My office has been contacted by someone who became an Irish citizen and was not able to have their non-binary status recognised on their passport, or the new name they adopted in the country they came from. Non-binary and intersex status is recognised in Denmark, Germany, Malta, Iceland, the Netherlands and even the USA, as well as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, India and so many other countries I do not have time to list.

As well as people who come here from those countries who may have this issue, it is people in Ireland who are non-binary and identify as neither male nor female are having their true selves negated by us not recognising non-binary people in the Gender Recognition Act 2015, an Act that was meant to be reviewed a long time ago.

This Saturday, trans, non-binary and intersex people will march in Trans and Intersex Pride Dublin. It is estimated that at least 1.7% of the population is born intersex and their parents have to choose one or the other - male or female - even though they may have characteristics that do not conform strictly to either male or female. When will we review the Gender Recognition Act and allow non-binary people, who are recognised in many sports - for example, the Dublin marathon recognised non-binary status - but who are not legally recognised on passports and birth certificates.

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