Calls for gender confirmation surgery to be made available in Ireland

Noah Halpin, Community Aid Officer of the Transgender Equality Network Ireland, said the Treatment Abroad Scheme is complicated for patients because they must have a sign-off from a consultant based in Ireland.

The HSE has approved over 200 Irish residents to undergo gender confirmation surgery abroad over the past nine years.

The procedures were mainly carried out in the UK and Germany at a cost of over €600,000 to the State.

The surgery is not available in Ireland, but can be carried out abroad under the HSE's Treatment Abroad Scheme.

Between 2012 and 2020, 211 people were approved to have gender reassignment surgery carried out under the scheme.

Noah Halpin, Community Aid Officer of the Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI), is calling for it to be provided here as soon as possible.

"To be sending people abroad for massive invasive surgeries and providing little to no aftercare when we get home is something that we can't be doing anymore," said Mr Halpin.

"It is another case of exporting Ireland's healthcare elsewhere.

"There are essential surgeries. This is gender affirming healthcare for people and there is no reason why we cannot provide this surgery in Ireland."

He said the Treatment Abroad Scheme is complicated for patients because they must have a sign-off from a consultant based in Ireland.

"Most consultants here in Ireland will not give you that sign off unless you are a number of months or years on hormone replacement therapy with that particular clinic," said Mr Halpin.

"However, there is a three-and-a-half year wait to see the only gender identity clinic in the country."

He said that in many cases people will raise money themselves and go abroad to have the surgery done themselves.