Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)
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657. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will commission and publish research into legal gender recognition for those aged under 16 years-of-age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54773/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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In June 2020, the Programme for Government – Our Shared Future included actions to commence research to examine arrangements for gender recognition in respect of persons aged under 16 years.

The Department of Social Protection and the then Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth jointly commissioned this research, to identify the mechanisms used in other countries, which govern legal gender recognition of children aged under 16 and to provide practical advice in relation to recognition for this age group.

The paper was intended to provide targeted information on what is a complex and sensitive issue. The jointly commissioned research is being reviewed in light of the complexity and sensitivity of this policy area.

As the research relates to issues surrounding children it is a matter for the Minister of Children, Disability and Equality to consider.

Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)
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658. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will establish a process by which Irish citizens born in Northern Ireland (NI) can access Irish gender recognition; if he will work with the United Kingdom (UK) and NI authorities to reinstate Ireland on the list of approved countries for recognising foreign gender recognition in the UK; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54774/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Section 9 of the Gender Recognition Act (GRA) 2015 sets out the conditions which a person is required to meet in order to qualify for a gender recognition certificate.

The application process was set up to cater for applicants born in the State, born abroad but ordinarily resident in the State and born and living abroad but with an entry in the Foreign Births Register.

In June 2025 the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality, Integration and Youth launched the National LGBTIQ+Inclusion Strategy II (2024-2028). The issue raised by the Deputy with respect to the amendment of the GRA to apply to other applicants will be considered as part of implementation of the actions in the National LGBTIQ+ Inclusion Strategy.

In relation to the recognition by the United Kingdom (UK) and NI authorities of an Irish gender recognition certificate, the only jurisdictions that are recognised by the UK and NI are ones that operate a similar processing system of gender recognition to the UK. The Irish gender recognition system would not meet those conditions.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.