Written answers

Tuesday, 21 September 2021

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection

Gender Recognition

Photo of Jennifer Carroll MacNeillJennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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412. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when the draft legislation in relation to gender recognition for transgender persons aged 16 and 17 years will be brought before Dáil Éireann recognising the delay due to the dissolution of the last Dáil; the progress made to date in relation to the other matters set out in the Programme for Government relating to this issue (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44980/21]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The report of the group established to conduct a review of the Gender Recognition Act 2015 was published in July 2018. The report contained a number of recommendations,The previous Government signalled its intention to legislate to give effect to the recommendations of the Review Group, including those relating to children.

In the main, the recommendations relate to persons aged 16 years and older. The Government considers that further research is needed to examine the issues relating to children aged under 16 years.

The Review Group recommended extending legal gender recognition to non-binary people, while also recognising the complexity of the issue and acknowledging that a comprehensive impact analysis may be required. The Government has indicated that an interdepartmental group is to be established to carry out this piece of work.

A number of other recommendations are more administrative in nature and are being implemented or will be progressed under Ireland’s National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy 2019 – 2021.

The Deputy will appreciate that these are complex matters that require continuing stakeholder engagement and that if changes are to be made to the current legislative framework, that these are done in a sustainable and sensitive manner.

I hope this clarifies these matters.

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