Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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636. To ask the Minister for Health if his Department supports the use of gender-neutral pronouns in the drafting of legislation or policies initiated by or originating in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11273/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Health uses a variety of terminology to identify the specific cohort being referred to in Departmental policies or legislation. The language used for the most part is gender neutral where the gender of those referred to is immaterial to the policy or legislation in question. For example policies include words like, service user, patient, child/ren, adolescent, adult, older person, population, cohort, etc. rather than referring to specific pronouns. When appropriate and in support of clarity when referring to specific cohorts, gender specific language is used. e.g. Traveller men, pregnant women.