Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 April 2022
977. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Social Protection when the draft legislation relating to gender recognition for transgender persons aged 16 and 17 years will be brought before Dáil Éireann; the progress made to date on 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. [19384/22]
View answerAs the Deputy is already aware, the statutory review of the Gender Recognition Act 2015 (GRA) was completed in 2018 and the Minister's response was presented to the Oireachtas. The review recommended a number of amendments to the Act, including some relating to children. The previous Government announced its intention to legislate to give effect to these recommendations.
The review group acknowledged the complexities surrounding extending legal gender recognition to children and to non-binary people. An interdepartmental group has been established by my Department to progress the recommendations. Draft legislation to give effect to changes in the Act affecting persons aged 16 and 17 has been approved by Government and is currently being drafted. It is my intention to publish this legislation when drafting has been finalised.
Further research is being conducted on the arrangements that can be made for children aged under 16. With respect to other recommendations, these are being progressed in line with the commitments in the Programme for Government - Our Shared Future.
I hope this information is of use to the Deputy.
