Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

As I said on Committee Stage, conversion therapy is an abhorrent practice, which is why the programme for Government includes a commitment to legislate to ban its practice. As Senators will be aware, my colleague the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, is leading this initiative.

I understand how distressing it can be for LGBTI+ people to encounter advertisements for conversion therapy. Following the commitment I gave on Committee Stage to considering the matter, my officials have been engaging with officials in the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to ensure that both the practice and the advertisement of conversion therapy will be prohibited when legislation is brought forward. It is vital any legislation we bring forward be sufficiently robust to achieve its objective and, in particular, that we arrive at a legal definition of conversion therapy that is sufficient to capture the practice we all agree should be banned. An incomplete or insufficient definition of conversion therapy carries with it two risks. First, a definition may not be sufficiently expansive to capture completely all the incidences of what is a harmful practice to many people. Second, it may be drafted such that it may be construed incorrectly and may inadvertently capture, or be claimed or seen to capture, forms of gender-affirming care. For those reasons, I cannot accept the amendments.

Nevertheless, I commit to ensuring the advertisement of conversion therapy will be prohibited when the practice itself is banned to ensure that any prohibitions and bans brought forward will be fully aligned. I have asked my officials to continue to engage with officials in the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth on this matter.