Annie Hoey (Labour) | Oireachtas source

One of the biggest things we need to think about today, on Trans Day of Visibility, is that it is really sad that there are no trans Members of the Upper or Lower Houses. I hope that someday that will be rectified and there will be visibility across society. I was thinking about this in the context of the census and the binary question in respect of sex. The census is used for many things, such as collecting data in respect of disabilities, access and travel. It is used for planning. Given that a couple of years ago Ireland was a beacon for trans rights and gender recognition globally - I know the Leader was a part of that - it is a real shame that this census, the biggest data-gathering exercise in the State, will not offer an opportunity for trans people and non-binary people to be seen, affirmed and heard this time around. I hope that will be changed for the next census. One of the biggest things on which we will lose out in this regard relates to an issue on which some of us who support our trans friends and family have spoken, namely, proper access to healthcare. If the census does not provide data in respect of how many people will need access to this healthcare, how will we ever fully address the need for healthcare and identify what is missing? I encourage Members to read a brilliant article written by Aoife Martin and published on thejournal.ieabout trans people and their lives and just to think about the damage one's words, or even sometimes one's actions, are doing. Trans people's lives are worth living and they are worth living with dignity.