Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 394: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if legislation is being prepared to comply with the High Court ruling on Ireland's breach of the European Convention on Human Rights due to the absence of a process to recognise the acquired gender of transsexual persons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29663/12]

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 395: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if in legislating and implementing a process for recognising transgender persons she will consider, contrary to the expert group recommendation, including persons already married or who have civil partnership status; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29664/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 394 and 395 together.

The Gender Recognition Advisory Group (GRAG) was established in 2010 to advise the Government on the legislation required to give legal recognition to the acquired gender of transgender persons. The Report of the Group, which recommends a scheme for the legal recognition of transgender persons, was approved by the Government on 12 July 2011, and was subsequently published on 14 July 2011. Since then, my Department has been working on developing draft Heads of a Bill. The Department has sought advice from the Office of the Attorney General on the issue of transgender persons who are already married or who have civil partnership status. The advice that is received from the Office of the Attorney General will inform the drafting of the Heads of the Bill.