19 Meith 2014, 14:32
The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection has this morning welcomed the publication of a revised General Scheme of the Gender Recognition Bill 2014, which takes account of some of the recommendations of the Committee following its pre-legislative scrutiny of the Bill.
19 June 2014
Following the publication of the original General Scheme last year, the Joint Committee engaged in a process of public consultation, and held a number of oral hearings. Among other things, the Committee recommended that the age at which a person is entitled to apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate should be reduced from 18 years to 16 years.
Committee Chair Joanna Tuffy TD welcomed the efforts that have been made to address this issue: “The Committee was mindful of the challenges faced by transgender persons below age 18 years and so recommended that the age at which a person is entitled to apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate be reduced. While the revised General Scheme does not fully follow this recommendation, it does provide a procedure by which a person aged 16 or 17 years can obtain a Gender Recognition Certificate. I believe that the compromise now contained in the revised General Scheme is a reasonable attempt to balance the competing issues. The Committee and I look forward to the Bill being formally considered by the Houses of the Oireachtas as soon as possible.”
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Committee Membership
Deputy Joanna Tuffy - Chair
Deputies James Bannon, Ray Butler, Joan Collins, Clare Daly, Brendan Griffin , Jim Daly, Derek Keating, Charlie McConalogue, Jonathan O’Brien, Willie O’Dea, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, Aengus Ó Snodaigh, Brendan Ryan
Senators Jim D'Arcy, Marie Moloney, Mary Moran, Hildegarde Naughten, Marie-Louise O’Donnell, Averil Power