4 Noll 2012, 16:07
The Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection will tomorrow hear from Transgender Equality Network Ireland who will argue for equality for all customers of the Department of Social Protection.
4 December 2012
Their presentation will centre on concerns around a report by the Gender Recognition Advisory Group (GRAG). The Group was established by the Minister for Social Protection in May 2010 following a High Court ruling that Ireland is in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights in not having a process to legally recognise the acquired gender of transsexual persons.
Committee Chair Joanna Tuffy TD says: “Our Committee will hear from representatives of Transgender Equality Network Ireland, who will argue that the lack of State recognition for those of trans identities can lead to denial of services of the Department of Social Protection.
“The Network will point to what they see as the flaws in at 2011 report by the Gender Recognition Advisory Group, which borrowed heavily from the UK Gender Recognition Act 2004. They believe that the proposed qualification criteria, which require a formal diagnosis of Gender Identity Disorder or have undergone gender reassignment surgery, are too restrictive. Our Committee looks forward to considering how to best advance the concerns of the Network at tomorrow’s meeting. ”
The meeting will commence with scrutiny of a series of EU legislative proposals. It will take place tomorrow Wednesday 5 December in Committee Room 3, LH 2000 at 1 pm.
Committee proceedings can be followed live here.
Ends
For further information please contact:
Paul Hand,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 4484
M: +353 87 694 9926
F: +3531 618 4551
paul.hand@oireachtas.ie
Committee Membership
Deputies:
James Bannon, Fine Gael
Ray Butler, Fine Gael
Joan Collins, People Before Profit
Clare Daly, Independent
Brendan Griffin, Fine Gael
Simon Harris, Fine Gael
Charlie McConalogue, Fianna Fáil
Nicky McFadden, Fine Gael
Jonathan O'Brien, Sinn Féin
Mary Mitchell O’Connor, Fine Gael
Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, Labour Party (Vice Chair)
Aengus Ó Snodaigh, Sinn Féin
Willie O’Dea, Fianna Fáil
Brendan Ryan, Labour Party
Joanna Tuffy, Labour Party (Chair)
Senators:
Jim D’Arcy
Fidelma Healy Eames
Marie Moloney
Marie Louise O’Donnell
Averil Power
Diarmuid Wilson