Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the fact that the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Deputy Regina Doherty, recently met transgender and non-binary young people. She said that she felt so inspired listening to these young people who are so articulate, self-aware, insightful and brave. She said that even though they have been hurt by their experiences, they are optimistic and witty about and even compassionate for those in our society who do not yet appreciate what it means to be trans or non-binary.

This House passed legislation, proposed by Sinn Féin, recognising the rights of transgender young people. The Gender Recognition Act provides for a review - which should have begun in September - to be completed within a year. Has the Minister begun putting the review group together? Have its terms of reference been released? Has the Minister met members of the trans community yet? Two years on from the Act, trans young people continue to live unrecognised by their State, while those under the ages of 16 and 17 face a process that is invasive, problematic and gruelling. We can do better. This House set the example for that review group.

This is all becoming increasingly important with President Trump picking off certain sections of society. It began with a suggestion that President Barack Obama was not an American citizen and continues with President Trump's bar on transgender people serving in the military. It is most important now that Ireland goes in the other direction and that our response is to be truly inclusive. I would like the Minister to address this House and tell us where the review stands and whether trans people will play an important part in it.