With the upcoming elections on February 8, many LGBT+ community support groups have announced the most important issues they want the Government to address. TENI – Trans Equality Network Ireland have released their manifesto with a list of key issues affecting the community and important questions for candidates to answer.

Here are the key questions Trans Equality Network Ireland have put to candidates in the running:

1) Will you support amending the Gender Recognition Act to meaningfully include young people under 18, non-binary identities and intersex people?
2) Will you enact hate crime legislation to protect Ireland’s most vulnerable citizens?
3) Will you ensure appropriate, accessible and timely healthcare for trans people; care that is person-centred and based on international best practice?

The manifesto also contains the following issues to be addressed.

Equality

.Amend equality legislation to explicitly include protection of trans people on the basis of gender identity and gender expression.
.Amend equality legislation to explicitly include protection of intersex people on the basis of a difference in sex characteristics.
.Promote the installation of gender-neutral public bathrooms (separate from existing accessible bathrooms for people with disabilities).
.Involve currently working sex workers in the review of the Sexual Offences Law 2017 to ensure their safety.
.End Direct Provision. 

Legal Recognition

.Amend legislation to simplify process for 16 and 17 year olds.
.Ensure that trans young people under 16 are provided a pathway for legal recognition.
.Ensure non-binary persons are afforded explicit legal recognition.
.Ensure intersex persons are afforded full access to legal recognition.
.Immediately implement non-legislative recommendations of the Gender Recognition Review Group.

With #GE2020 nearly upon us, we've put together our manifesto with key questions for candidates and an overview of the issues affecting the trans community. (Candidates, if you're looking for the trans vote, here's how to get it. ?) pic.twitter.com/2HW5xwYitv

— TENI (@TENI_Tweets) February 3, 2020

Health

.Ensure appropriate, accessible and timely healthcare for trans people; care that is person centred and based on international best practice.
.Reduce waiting list times for national gender service.
.Develop clear transition pathways between child and adult services.
.Ensure the development of regional healthcare services for trans people.
.Support trans inclusive mental health and suicide prevention services and campaigns.
.Work towards the de-pathologisation of trans identities.
.Implement LGBTI+ Inclusion strategy recommendations to establish an expert working group on healthcare for intersex people and develop clinical guidelines.
.Ensure equal access to appropriate reproductive healthcare for all.
.Ban conversion therapy for LGBTI+ people. 

Education and Schools

.Implement LGBTI+ inclusive RSE curriculum.
.Develop and implement guidelines on the inclusion of trans and gender non-conforming young people in schools.

Hate Crime

.Introduce comprehensive hate crime legislation and ensure the protection of individuals based on gender identity and gender expression.

#VoteWithPride this Saturday February 8.