Report on transgender rights issue presented to Cabinet

A long-awaited report on the issue of legal recognition of the acquired gender of transsexuals was presented yesterday to Cabinet…

A long-awaited report on the issue of legal recognition of the acquired gender of transsexuals was presented yesterday to Cabinet by Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton.

The report, which is to be published shortly, arises from a landmark High Court ruling that Irish transgender rights law was in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights.

The decision ended a lengthy legal battle by Dr Lydia Foy, who was registered as male at birth and fought for legal recognition to live as a woman. It also paved the way for the Government to propose new legislation giving transsexuals the right to obtain birth certificates showing their acquired sex, and the entitlement to marry in that gender.