Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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63. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her views on the resolution passed by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on transgender rights; if she supports the full implementation of the principles in that resolution into Irish law; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17367/15]

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The resolution passed by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in relation to transgender rights covers a range of policy areas that are the responsibility of a number of different Government Departments. The resolution is grounded in the key principles that transgender people should be protected from discrimination and enabled to have their preferred gender formally recognised under law. The approach being taken in Ireland is, in my view, consistent with those key principles.

The Equality Acts prohibit discrimination in the areas of employment and the provision of goods and services on nine grounds including gender. The Equality Tribunal has found that discrimination on the basis of transgender status amounts to a breach of rights under the legislation as it is encompassed by the ground of gender.

The Gender Recognition Bill 2014, once it is enacted, will provide that transgender people will be enabled to have their preferred gender recognised by the State for all purposes. If the referendum on marriage equality is approved by the electorate, the Government has already stated its intention to remove the requirement from the Gender Recognition Bill that a person seeking a gender recognition certificate be single.

It is my intention and that of the Tánaiste that this important legislation will be passed this year.