July 22, 2025, marks the 10-year anniversary of Ireland’s Gender Recognition Act being signed into law. The legislation makes it possible for trans people in Ireland to legally self-declare their gender and update their official documents accordingly. This milestone is being commemorated across the country with celebrations, reflections, and renewed calls to address the gaps that remain in trans rights and healthcare.
Ireland is one of only 11 European countries that offer gender recognition through self-determination, meaning there is no requirement to undergo psychological or medical evaluation to obtain a Gender Recognition Cert (GRC). In contrast, 35 European countries still require a medical diagnosis, while nations like Turkey, Romania, and Montenegro only permit legal gender changes if the individual is sterilised.
The passing of the Gender Recognition Act was a long legal battle, led by Dr Lydia Foy, who fought through three separate court cases that ultimately secured the legislation in Ireland.
To mark the 10th anniversary, GCN spoke to several community organisations and activists to reflect on the past decade and discuss the future of gender recognition and trans rights in Ireland.
Ruadhán Ă“ CrĂodáin – Executive Director, ShoutOut
“10 years on from gender recognition, trans and non-binary people in Ireland are at a crossroads. We look to some of our neighbours – particularly the UK, US and Hungary – and see things getting drastically worse for their trans and non-binary citizens. We wonder if we’re to expect the same fate.
“It feels like we’re at a standstill since the Gender Recognition Act. We still haven’t extended our gender recognition system to everyone who needs it – especially non-binary people, young people, and those born in Northern Ireland. We also lack robust policies for trans and non-binary students in primary and post-primary schools. At ShoutOut, we see the impact of this every day.
“…In 2015, we imagined things would be better by now – that Gender Recognition and Marriage Equality were the first steps to a better future. The future of trans rights in Ireland can still be a bright one. There are signs of hope everywhere: in the thousands of trans and non-binary people living happy lives; in the trans flags flying at every Pride festival; in the flourishing of Irish trans artistic expression. And for us at ShoutOut, in the courage of every trans young person who lives as themselves – at school, home, or in their community. Despite all the badness in the world, there is still kindness and allyship in our small country, and ShoutOut fosters this through education and storytelling in schools, workplaces, and communities.
“Ireland has an opportunity to lead on trans rights and equality. Our politicians and policymakers can build a world-class trans health service. They can implement inclusive, affirming legislation. We need them to act – and to recognise that 2015 wasn’t the end of Ireland’s journey to equality, but the beginning.”
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Gender Rebels
“10 years ago, Ireland took a positive step forward with the introduction of self-identification through the Gender Recognition Act (GRA). However, this progressive effort has regrettably stagnated. It’s crucial to remember that the GRA’s implementation wasn’t an act of generosity from the then-governing coalition; rather, it was a necessary response to Ireland’s non-compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights.
“We need to envision and actively work towards a future where our government demonstrates the courage to enact hate speech reforms that explicitly include gender, acknowledges the legal recognition of non-binary individuals, and genuinely engages with community organisations. This engagement is vital, even if it means confronting past failures. Most importantly, we must strive for a future where trans children in Ireland are not abandoned or denied the essential support they need to develop into happy, safe, and proud trans adults.”
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Trans Healthcare Action
“The Gender Recognition Act 2015 was an incredible step forward for trans rights, but there is so much more work to be done. Not only was the legislation itself limited – with non-binary people and people under 16 being excluded completely, but several crucial rights have gone completely unaddressed. Conversion therapy is still not banned in Ireland. We still have the worst healthcare in the EU – with a 13-year waiting list for intrusive psychiatric assessments that may simply deny you care.
“The GRA was a wonderful first step, but we cannot let it be the last. We at Trans Healthcare Action envision an Ireland where trans and gender diverse people can access gender-affirming healthcare within our local communities through an informed consent model. Ireland can do better, Ireland must do better, than our outdated and broken system.”
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TENI (Transgender Equality Network Ireland)
“The Gender Recognition Act is a pioneering piece of legislation enshrining the right to legal self-determination for trans people. This means that the Irish state recognises trans people for who we say we are – not who doctors say we are, or psychiatrists, or anyone else.
“Ireland was one of the first countries in the world to pass legislation on this basis, and we remain a frontrunner in this area. We know that thousands of people have accessed legal gender recognition in the last 10 years in Ireland, allowing them to have their legal gender and name recognised and used across their ID and other documents – this protects our rights to privacy, to dignity, and to safety from harassment.
“However, there are significant gaps in the legislation, and in the realisation of trans rights in Ireland. The Gender Recognition Act does not provide any recognition of non-binary people, and very limited recognition for young people. We need urgent and egalitarian reform of the Gender Recognition Act to streamline the process for under 18s, and to provide non-binary recognition to those of all ages.”
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Trans and Intersex Pride Dublin
“The Gender Recognition Act passing in 2015 was a huge step forward for the trans community in Ireland. Now 10 years later, the struggle for trans liberation continues. The UK Supreme Court decision shows how easily our gains can be undermined. The GRA here needs to be defended from any attacks to water it down as well as strengthening it by passing non-binary and under 16s recognition.
“Moreover, the current crisis of trans healthcare is one of the biggest issues facing our community. Trans & Intersex Pride Dublin are fighting for fully accessible trans healthcare based on informed consent, anything less is a violation of our bodily autonomy.
“The future for trans rights is found in the 10,000 people who marched at Trans & Intersex Pride this year. The future of trans rights is radical, vibrant and militant. It leaves no one behind because none of us are free until we are all free!”
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Trans Limerick Community
“10 years after the passing of the Gender Recognition Act, there is still much work to be done for the trans community in Ireland. While our documents can now truly reflect who we are, the failings of the National Gender Service (NGS) continue to stand and prevent trans people from living authentically.
“That is why the Trans Limerick Community (TLC) adds our voice to the calls for the dismantling of the current NGS model, and switching to a model of informed consent and self-determination.
“It is our sincere hope that in the future, the struggles many of us face in obtaining HRT will be just a story. That every trans, gender non-conforming and non-binary person who wishes to access HRT will be able to do so quickly, safely and rightfully informed by their GP.
“But mostly, our wish for the future is that the decision over someone’s transition journey is controlled by the trans person. Everyone should have the right to determine their own journey and not be made to squeeze ourselves into some arbitrary mould of what a trans person should be to be able to live authentically.”
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Professional Association for Trans Health Ireland (PATHI)
“At the Professional Association for Trans Health Ireland (PATHI), we envision a future where trans and gender diverse people in Ireland can access equitable, affirming, and timely healthcare as a routine part of primary care, not confined to inaccessible specialist services.
“While the Gender Recognition Act marked a key milestone, real progress in trans rights demands comprehensive reform in healthcare access and delivery. PATHI advocates for the national adoption and implementation of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) Standards of Care Version 8 (SOC8) as the gold standard guiding trans healthcare in Ireland. These evidence-based guidelines support an informed consent approach, where trans people are recognised as experts in their own identities and care decisions, without being subjected to unnecessary, invasive assessments or psychiatric gatekeeping.
“We believe depathologising trans identities must be central to this reform — acknowledging gender diversity as a natural variation of human experience, not a condition requiring diagnosis.
“Embedding trans healthcare into primary care services, supported by comprehensive training and resources for healthcare professionals, will help ensure accessible, rights-affirming support across the country. At PATHI, our mission is to advance this change through professional education, advocacy, and collaboration, always centring the voices and lived experiences of trans communities. 10 years after legal recognition, the urgent work of making equitable healthcare a reality for all trans people in Ireland must continue.”
As Ireland marks a decade of legal gender recognition, voices across the trans community are united in saying the journey is far from over. The next 10 years will be crucial for ensuring that the promise of 2015 is delivered to everyone, regardless of age, identity, or circumstance.
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