Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Government's decision yesterday on discretionary medical cards. I know that quite a number of colleagues referred to it yesterday on the Order of Business and I meant to do so myself. It will offer great reassurance to many. The Minister for Health, the Taioseach and the HSE officials who have spoken in the media have done their best to clarify the circumstances of the decision and its consequences.

I also welcome the arrangements made by the Ministers, Deputy Ruairí Quinn and Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, for the international language students who have been left in a difficult position following the closure of five private language schools. They will now be offered discounted places at existing language schools. That will offer great reassurance to them and it is important that that decision has been made. Perhaps not enough credit has been given to the Ministers for that.

I also the welcome the news last night that the Department of Social Protection had published the redrafted scheme of the Gender Recognition Bill, which would provide for the first time a mechanism for transgender persons to register a change of identity. The Bill has been a long time in preparation following the legal action taken against the State by Lydia Foy, whom I commend for her long campaign to secure this legislation. I welcome the new scheme that has been published, in particular that it has taken account of the recommendation of the Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection that it should be possible to register a change of gender at 16 rather than 18. That was the unanimous recommendation of the committee. There are outstanding issues to be dealt with, but I welcome the redrafted scheme.

The Department of Social Protection recently released records from the General Register Office to enable us all to see the full details of the deaths registered at Tuam in the mother and baby homes. It is a poignant and tragic fact that 79% of the babies whose deaths were registered died at under one year of age. I know that Senator Power has a matter on the Adjournment concerning tracing, but this case raises the question of the right to information about one's origin and a right to know one's identity. We have made a recommendation in the justice committee that such a provision be included in the Child and Family Relationships Bill. I know that we will be pressing on that further.