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Legislative Measures

Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 3 December 2021

Friday, 3 December 2021

Questions (7)

Gary Gannon

Question:

7. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the research on conversion therapy to support legislation for banning the practice as committed to in the Programme for Government; the timeline for the research; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59510/21]

View answer

Written answers

The Programme for Government contains a commitment to legislate to end the practice of conversion therapy, an objective I strongly support.  

In addition, , the LGBTI+ National Youth Strategy 2018 – 2021 contains a commitment to prohibit the promotion or practice of conversion therapy by health professionals in Ireland, and the National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy 2019-2022 commits to ensuring that the practice of conversion therapy in Ireland is investigated and followed up with appropriate counter measures.  

My Department developed a scoping paper on research into conversion therapy in February 2021.  This paper comprised a literature overview and a high level examination of the banning of conversion therapy internationally, along with any evidence in Ireland of conversion therapy practices.

In May last I established  a sub-committee of the LGBTI+ National Inclusion Strategy Steering Committee to examine the scoping paper developed by my Department, and to agree the next steps in progressing commitments relating to researching, and prohibiting the practice of conversion therapy. 

I am pleased to say that my Department is now commissioning research to capture the views and experiences of people who have been subjected to the practice of conversion therapy in Ireland. A Request for Quotation issued on 16 November 2021 and it is expected that the research will be commissioned and begin early in 2022. This qualitative research will be completed by summer 2022, and will assist the Government in developing legislation to ban the practice of conversion therapy.  

I am pleased that the Programme for Government included this important commitment, and I will work very hard with all involved to ensure that the necessary legislation is enacted.

Question No. 8 answered orally.
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