The Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection Recommend Lowering Age to 16.

The Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection have published a report recommending that upcoming gender recognition legislation should reduce the age an individual can apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate from 18 years to 16 years.

Welcoming the report, TENI Chief Executive Broden Giambrone said it “represents significant progress”.

The Committee’s Report is being sent to Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton (pictured) to assist the Department of Social Protection in finalising draft legislation. The Minister has committed to introducing legislation in 2014.

“We’re delighted to see that the Committee has made clear recommendations for improving the Government’s Bill. In particular, we are happy to see there is concerted effort to improve the conditions of young trans people in this country. We sincerely hope that Minister Burton takes these recommendations on board,” says Giambrone.

The Committee’s report is the result of a consultation process and public hearings that were held with trans rights groups, human rights organisations and legal and medical experts in October 2013. The report addresses key issues in the Government’s General Scheme and makes recommendations for improvements in several areas along with the lowering the age of recognition.

The requirement to be single, which would effectively force married trans people to get divorced in order to be legally recognised, is addressed. Citing conflicting legal opinion, the report states: “the Committee believes that the fact that a person is in an existing marriage or a civil partnership should not prevent him or her from qualifying for a Gender Recognition Certificate, and urges the Minister to revisit this issue.”