Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 81: To ask the Minister for Social Protection his plans to bring forward legislation arising from the decision to withdraw the appeal in the case of a person (details supplied). [27998/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The Renewed Programme for Government, published in October 2009, contains a commitment to introduce legal recognition of the acquired gender of transsexuals. An interdepartmental committee has been established with the following terms of reference:- "To advise the Minister for Social Protection on the legislation required to provide for legal recognition by the State of the acquired gender of transsexuals. In particular to propose heads of a bill to provide for:

· The establishment of a process for legal recognition of the acquired gender of persons suffering from gender identity disorder who have made the transition from one gender to the other;

· The establishment of a gender recognition register;

· The granting of entitlement to transsexuals to marry in the legally recognized reassigned gender; and

· Any other provisions as may be deemed necessary consequent on the main provisions of the Bill."

The committee is made up of representatives of various Departments and Offices of State and had its first meeting on Thursday, 6 May 2010. It is envisaged that the committee, as part of its deliberations, may invite submissions from interested groups, experts in the field and the public. I would expect that the committee will make its recommendations within a period of about 6 months. It is not possible at this early stage to say when the resulting proposals will be introduced in the legislative programme, or indeed, when a Bill will be introduced. I would, however, assure the Deputy that the matter will be treated as a priority when the deliberations of the committee are finalised.