Originally introduced in 2019, Ireland’s National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy aimed to “promote inclusion, protect rights and to improve quality of life and wellbeing for LGBTI+ people” in Ireland by “enabling them to participate fully in Ireland’s social, economic, cultural, and political life.” 

While the National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy was originally planned to be enacted from 2019 to 2021, tackling a number of issues facing Ireland’s LGBTQ+ community under thematic pillars such as visibility and inclusion, equality, health, and safety, the onset of the global Covid-19 pandemic saw the project extended until 2023. 

Spearheaded by LGBT Ireland in partnership with the Department of Justice and Equality and, later, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, a shadow report of the National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy was issued today, January 18. It measures and evaluates the impact of the Strategy “from a community perspective”.

The report, entitled Progress Made. Renewed Efforts Required, analyses the progress of the Strategy on all 108 of its actions, providing each of the actions with a ‘grade’ on a scale of ‘A’ to ‘F’ based on the progress made between 2019 and 2023. 

Great to attend the launch of @LGBT_ie ’s Shadow Report on Ireland’s National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy. Extremely informative findings that call for a new strategy in Ireland going forward. pic.twitter.com/ysNBkBZGxf

— Gay Community News (@GCNmag) January 18, 2024

Ireland as a country did extremely well in certain aspects, receiving A grades on actions such as “Include LGBTI+ matters in the Relationship and Sexual Education curriculum review” and “Same sex parents are treated equally to opposite sex parents before the law.” 

That being said, the country conversely received an ‘F’ grade for several actions, including ensuring “People wishing to transition their gender have timely access to treatment that accords with international best practice” and the development of transgender healthcare services for children and adults that create a “clear pathway from child to adult services.”

Over the entirety of the 108 actions evaluated and graded by LGBT Ireland, the country received an overall grade of C+ for the progress made between 2019 and 2023. This is in keeping with ILGA statistics that ranked Ireland 16th in Europe in terms of LGBTQ+ human rights and policy protections. Similarly, Gardaí reported a 30% increase in hate crimes in Ireland from 2021 to 2022, with a total of 582 hate crimes being reported in 2022, 22% of which were motivated by sexual orientation. 

As a result of the grade given to the country, LGBT Ireland has called for a renewed strategy that takes into consideration challenges that did not exist when the National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy was originally introduced. These include the ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the threat of the far-right in Ireland, and the ongoing war in Ukraine. 

Pádraig Rice, Policy and Research Manager with LGBT Ireland, said: “The formation of the first National LGBTI+ Strategy was a milestone moment for Ireland’s LGBTI+ community. For the first time, there was a coordinated, cross-departmental plan to respond to the unique needs and challenges of the entire LGBTI+ community.

“The shadow report we are launching today measures and evaluates the impact of the Strategy from a community perspective. After wide consultation and examination, we have given the Government a C+. A lot of progress has been made but a renewed effort is now required to fulfil the outstanding actions and to address new challenges,” he added.

In a post following the unveiling of the shadow report, LGBT Ireland wrote on X: “Our Shadow Report calls for a new National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy – one that will run from 2024 to 2029. The new strategy needs to take a whole life approach and actions should be specific, concrete, measurable & achievable.” 

Our Shadow Report calls for a new National #LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy – one that will run from 2024 to 2029. The new strategy needs to take a whole life approach and actions should be specific, concrete, measurable & achievable. pic.twitter.com/uZTAGnqpTB

— LGBT Ireland (@LGBT_ie) January 18, 2024