Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I wish to move an amendment to the Order of Business. I propose that we take No. 17 on the Order Paper before No. 1. We know that LGBT people form loving, stable and committed relationships equivalent to heterosexual families and the people's support for the civil marriage equality referendum was recognition of that fact. There is no scientific evidence to suggest that we can change or eliminate sexual orientation, although there is evidence to say that we can self-label our sexual orientation. However, the outcomes are temporary and always unpredictable. I want to thank the 20 Senators from all sides of this House who have co-signed the Prohibition of Conversion Therapies Bill 2018. This is a Bill that will prohibit conversion therapy as a deceptive and harmful act or practice against a person's sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.

A couple of month's ago the European Parliament passed a motion that reads as follows: "The European Parliament [...] welcomes initiatives prohibiting LGBTI conversion therapies and banning the pathologisation of trans identities and urges all Member States to adopt similar measures that respect and uphold the right to gender identity and gender expression". Malta has legislated to prohibit the practice of conversion therapy, as have nine American states. The UN Committee Against Torture has expressed its concern over the dangerous and discredited practice. There are organisations providing this service in Ireland. However, the Irish Council for Psychotherapy has stated that efforts to change, manipulate or reverse sexual orientation and-or gender identity through psychological therapies are unethical, in accordance with its guidelines. The State should adopt that position and apply it legislatively. The Prohibition of Conversion Therapies Bill does so.

In terms of LGBT people's experiences of mental health services, a survey by Trinity College and UCD was published in the International Journal of Mental Health Nursingin 2014. That survey noted many negative experiences of mental health services, with 66% of respondents experiencing an assumption that they were heterosexual. A full 29% of respondents experienced a negative reaction when they disclosed their LGBT identity, with 21% reporting comments to the effect that their LGBT identity was "just a phase". Crucially, 13% were advised that their sexual orientation could be changed to a heterosexual one.

Brazil was one of the first countries in the world to prohibit conversion therapy but that decision was overturned recently. Brazilians, more than any other non-EU nationals, come to study in Ireland in large numbers and their influence has been felt and welcomed among our LGBT community. Ireland must be a beacon of hope for people everywhere and it is in that context that I am proposing that we amend the Order of Business and take No. 17 before No. 1.