Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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132. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there are any plans for her Department to recognise gender identity on school management information systems, given that the Central Statistics Office is planning on recognising gender identity other than male and female in the 2027 census; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4964/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Equity and inclusivity are fundamental principles at the heart of our education system. These are enshrined in the  Mission of the Department  and  the  Statement of Strategy published last year. The aim of my Department  is to develop a system that welcomes and meaningfully engages all students and strengthens a culture of inclusion. The Programme for Government includes a number of commitments regarding gender recognition relating  to 16 and 17 year olds  and also in relation to children under 16. 

The Gender Recognition Act 2015 provides that a person can apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate in order to have their preferred gender recognised by the State.

Adults over the age of 18 can apply for a gender recognition certificate. Individuals aged 16 and 17 currently require parental consent and a court order in order to obtain a Gender Recognition Certificate. In line with the commitments in the Programme for Government, the Government is planning to make this less onerous by extending self-declaration to this age group, with counselling supports for these families. Draft heads of a bill to implement this recommendation have been approved by  Government and are being sent for pre legislative scrutiny. In relation to the particular vulnerability and complexities around the under-16 age group, tendering for research has been commissioned by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) on behalf of it and the Department of Social Protection to outline the mechanisms in use in other countries and to provide practical advice in relation to recognition for this age group.  This is in line with the commitment in the Programme for Government.

Given these considerations, CSO did not include either topic on the Census 2022 questionnaire. However, in recognising the importance of developing its capacity to collect data on these topics, it has introduced new questions on both gender identity and sexual orientation in its General Household Survey. It will monitor the collection of data on these topics with a view to including appropriate questions in future censuses, including the 2027 census. This Department will  monitor these developments closely in the context of its own data collection  and school information systems.