Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 September 2022
1550. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a recent International index (details supplied) in which Ireland scores zero with respect to intersex bodily integrity (details supplied); his views on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42147/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra1551. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the recently published United Nations Human Rights Committee report concluding observations on the fifth periodic report of Ireland on intersex persons (details supplied); if he will commit to bringing forward legislation based on international best practice with respect to non-consensual surgical and medical interventions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42148/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1550 and 1551 together.
Officials in the Department of Health have considered the recently published United Nations Human Rights Committee (UN HRC) Concluding observations on the fifth periodic report of Ireland.
The report noted the Committee's concern that irreversible and invasive medical interventions continue to be performed on intersex children. It notes with concern that such actions are often based on a stereotyped vision of gender roles and carried out before children are of an age to allow them to give their full, free and informed consent
The report recommended that Ireland should 'take all steps necessary to ensure that all acts relating to the assignment of a sex to intersex children performed without their free and informed consent are specifically prohibited, except in cases where such interventions are absolutely necessary for medical reasons and the best interests of the child have been duly considered.'
The National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy commits to ensuring LGBTI+ people can fully and equally avail of mainstream health services. It seeks to eliminate barriers that may currently prevent LGBTI+ people from accessing health and social services due to a lack of understanding of their specific needs and a lack of targeted service promotion. It also seeks to address the issue that LGBTI+ people are less likely to engage with health interventions and screening programmes if such programmes and interventions do not explicitly indicate that they are inclusive of LGBTI+ service users. The actions included in the Strategy aim to reduce barriers to access to health services and to improve health outcomes for the LGBTI+ community.
An outcome of the strategy is there are clinical guidelines in place to prevent unnecessary surgeries on intersex people with better data available on the prevalence of intersex conditions in Ireland. This will be achieved by conducting a scoping exercise on Intersex conditions in Ireland to determine and document prevalence, current practice, clinical governance and compare against international evidence and guidelines. This scoping exercise will include key recommendations which may include the establishment of an expert working group to develop clinical guidelines.
The UN HRC recommendation will be taken into account in progressing this action.
