More work to be done to achieve LGBTQ+ equality says Senator

Ireland has more to do when it comes to achieving LGBTQ+ equality said Fine Gael Senator Regina Doherty.

Senator Doherty was speaking ahead of this weekend’s Pride celebrations in Dublin, and while acknowledging Ireland’s advances in advancing LGBTQ+ rights over the last 30 years, there is more work to be done.

“Our Fine Gael-led government is leading on a number of measures that will directly impact the lives of LGBTQ+ people in Ireland,” said Doherty, referring to this week’s decision to disregard historical convictions for sexual activity between gay and bisexual men.

Ireland decriminalised homosexuality in 1993 following a years-long campaign led by Senator David Norris, with the decriminalisation act passed by the then-Fianna Fáil and Labour coalition government.

“We’re finally going to criminalise so-called ‘conversion therapy’ in Ireland, once and for all. Nobody should live in shame over their sexual orientation or gender identity, and such a barbaric practice – which has no effect other than to cause harm to vulnerable people – has no place here or anywhere.”

“At a time when the LGBTQ+ community faces heightened threats of violence, we are swiftly implementing robust hate crime legislation which will ensure that homophobic or transphobic motivations behind such attacks are accounted for during sentencing, as an aggravating factor.”

Senator Doherty said she was “proud of the progress we have made,” noting the Marriage Equality referendum of the 2015 Gender Recognition Act of the same year, and said she was “hopeful that we will continue to make progress.”

Despite these past achievements, Senator said “the fact remains, however, that Ireland ranks bottom of the list when it comes to transgender healthcare, and we urgently need to act to ensure that our Programme for Government commitments are adhered to.”

“A general transgender health policy – based on a best-practice model for care – is demanded by trans people right across the country, and really is not much to ask. As a start, the Department of Health must guarantee access to regular blood tests for trans people who are self-medicating, and I’m calling on the Minister to do that.”

Doherty’s calls for reform surrounding transgender health policy was shared by Labour Senator Annie Hoey, but said that the Government could be doing more to advance trans healthcare in Ireland.

“For far too long trans healthcare has been an issue the Government has failed to address, despite many promises to do so,” Senator Hoey said.

“Three years into the lifetime of this government and their promises on vastly improved trans healthcare are yet to materialise. While we are waiting for Government to live up to their own commitments people are facing agonisingly long waits for assessment and treatment, with no realistic end in sight,” she added.

“Government will happily walk behind trans and rainbow flags this weekend at Dublin Pride but when are they going to actually walk the walk and put their money where their mouth is and invest in these desperately needed services for trans people?”