On the afternoon of Wednesday, September 25, members and allies of the trans and intersex community gathered outside the Dáil in Dublin to call for urgent reforms in the Irish healthcare system. Participants from many activist groups joined the rally, which was organised by Transgress The NGS. The demonstration aimed to pressure both the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the National Gender Service (NGS) to address the significant barriers faced by trans and intersex people seeking medical care.

Attendees were encouraged to wear the colours of the trans Pride flag—pink, white, and blue—and to bring friends, flags, and plenty of noise. Their primary objective was to secure a meeting with the Minister for Health to discuss the pressing issues within the healthcare system.

Trans individuals in Ireland currently face years-long waiting lists for basic consultations and gender-affirming care, as well as invasive psychiatric evaluations, and a general disregard for their autonomy in making decisions about their bodies. Many are forced to travel abroad for medical treatment, with community members feeling ignored by Irish government officials and healthcare providers alike.

Speaking to GCN at the rally, Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union President Jenny Maguire highlighted the frustration felt by many in the community. “Trans people are not trusted with their own bodies,” she said. “They are deemed to be incapable of making decisions for themselves.”

Another representative from Transgress The NGS expressed similar sentiments.

“We’ve been consecutively protesting for the last number of years now,” they said. “Something has to change. They have to start listening to us.”

 

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The protest comes in the wake of recent political developments that have further alienated Ireland’s LGBTQ+ community. Earlier this week, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee confirmed that her Department was shelving plans to introduce new hate speech provisions in Irish law after they faced criticism from various groups. Instead, the government will move forward with hate crime legislation, with plans to bring the bill before the Dáil in the coming weeks.

This decision has been met with significant backlash from members of the LGBTQ+ community and other minority groups, who view the removal of hate speech provisions as a step backwards.

Critics argue that robust hate speech laws are essential for protecting vulnerable communities from rising discrimination and violence, and they have voiced concern that the government’s decision reflects a lack of commitment to safeguarding marginalised groups.

For Ireland’s trans and intersex community, the struggle is twofold: fighting for a healthcare system that respects their rights and autonomy, while also pushing back against a political landscape that they feel increasingly neglects their needs.

Today’s protest by Transgress The NGS outside the Dáil in Dublin is a powerful reminder of the ongoing fight for trans rights in Ireland, with activists hopeful that their voices will be heard.