The Department of Education has stated that schools in Ireland must provide a safe and inclusive setting for all students.

This followed a report in The Irish Times, which suggested that the Department of Education “contradicted” Know Your Rights, a guide for trans and non-binary rights

Know Your Rights is a guide for trans and non-binary people that was developed by the ICCL, TENI and ShoutOut with funding from the Irish Human Rights Commission. It covers legal rights across a broad spectrum of settings, including school and education.

Under the education section, the guide stated that according to Department of Education guidelines, a school “must make every effort to update your name and pronoun in relevant systems and documents”.

The guide goes on to state that schools must “use your correct name and pronoun in day-to-day interactions”. Additionally, under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), schools have a legal responsibility to maintain accurate records of students, and these records must be rectified on request if they are inaccurate.

Following an article in The Irish Times stating that the Education Department “contradicted” part of the Know Your Rights guide, GCN contacted the Department for clarification.

A spokesperson for the Department of Education and Youth told GCN that the board of management is responsible for the direct governance of a school on behalf of the patron, and that the principal is responsible for the day-to-day management of the school, including implementing school policies.

The Department then provides a broad range of resources to support schools in developing positive whole-school approaches and in being “inclusive of everyone in the school community”.

“Schools are required to create safe and inclusive environments for students, as outlined in the Bí Cineálta procedures, where they experience a sense of belonging and feel safe, connected and supported,” the spokesperson said.

“The Bí Cineálta anti-bullying procedures are being implemented from the beginning of the current school year, 2025/2026.”

The Department spokesperson said that it did not issue guidelines on school policy, but it did highlight a 2016 resource – Being LGBT in School. According to this resource, “there is nothing to preclude a school from using a student’s preferred name in day-to-day interactions, regardless of the name used officially on the school register.”

Additional resources on creating inclusive educational spaces may be found on ShoutOut.ie. TENI also runs support groups for trans young people and their families all around Ireland, offering facilitated youth support groups for trans young people and peer support groups for parents. Their Trans Family Support Line is available Tuesdays (10am-12pm) and Sundays (6pm-9pm) at 01 907 3707.