Sarah O'Reilly (Aontú)

I welcome the recent ruling of the UK Supreme Court which upholds the fundamental common sense truth that biological sex matters and that women are entitled to protections based on their sex. This ruling is a victory for fairness, dignity and the hard-won rights of women. It is a clear recognition that women have a right to feel safe, to access spaces designed for them and to have their unique needs acknowledged and respected. For too long we have seen attempts to erase the very meaning of the word "woman". These attempts have real and dangerous consequences, particularly for vulnerable women in spaces such as refuges, prisons, sports and healthcare. Women's sex-based rights are not negotiable; they are essential for women's safety, dignity and equality. Aontú has been consistent in saying that rights must be based on truth. The truth is that biological sex is real and it matters. Protecting women's spaces is not about exclusion or hatred; it is about upholding justice, fairness and common sense for 50% of the population.

Here in Ireland it is time we took heed of this judgement. We must recognise the failures of the Gender Recognition Act 2015, which allows for legal change of gender based solely on self-declaration, without any medical or biological basis. This law has undermined the meaning of womanhood, created confusion in law and society and put the safety and dignity of women at risk. Ireland must now act. We should follow the lead of the UK Supreme Court and move to repeal the Gender Recognition Act. We must restore legal clarity, protect women's sex-based rights and ensure that truth and not ideology shapes our laws. I would appreciate a debate with the Minister on this subject.