Sinn Féin TD apologises to trans community for 'hurt and offence' over tweet on British court ruling
Sinn Féin health spokesman David Cullinane: 'I want to apologise for the hurt and offence that I have caused to the trans community following a tweet I sent last night.'
A Sinn Féin TD has apologised for a social media post about the British court ruling on excluding trans women from the definition of "woman" in equality law.
David Cullinane, the party's health spokesman, said the "complex" issue needed to be approached with "compassion" and he apologised for any offence caused.
I want to apologise for the hurt and offence that I have caused to the Trans community following a tweet I sent last night. That was never my intention. This is a complex issue for many but we need to approach it with compassion, understanding and dignity for all.
— David Cullinane T.D. (@davidcullinane) April 17, 2025
Trans and Intersex Pride Dublin has said it has written to the party asking it to clarify its position and will consider banning it from its parade in July.
The British Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that the terms "woman" and "sex" in the 2010 Equality Act "refer to a biological woman and biological sex".
This means transgender women with a gender recognition certificate can be excluded from single-sex spaces, such as changing rooms and homeless hostels, if "proportionate".
The judges also said transgender people were still protected from discrimination in the same law.
They said they could "invoke the provisions on direct discrimination and harassment, and indirect discrimination" and were protected from discrimination on the grounds of gender reassignment.
A spokesperson for the Equality Commission in Northern Ireland said while the ruling only relates to England, Scotland and Wales, "our initial view is that the judgment is likely to be deemed by our industrial tribunals and courts to be highly persuasive and, consequently, it is likely to be followed in cases where similar issues arise".
On Wednesday evening, Mr Cullinane called for the ruling to be "fully examined in this State".
The Waterford TD said on social media site X: "The Scottish Supreme Court ruling on the legal meaning of woman is a common-sense judgement.
"The ruling found that for the purposes of equality legislation a 'woman' means a biological woman & 'sex' refers to biological sex.
"It also confirmed that trans people are protected under their equality legislation in a separate category of gender reassignment."
He was contacted for comment on Thursday morning to clarify his comments.
In a tweet sent on Thursday afternoon, Mr Cullinane said: "I want to apologise for the hurt and offence that I have caused to the trans community following a tweet I sent last night.
"That was never my intention. This is a complex issue for many but we need to approach it with compassion, understanding and dignity for all.
"I'm sure those in the trans community will feel vulnerable and isolated today in the aftermath of yesterday's judgement, and I apologise that my words added to that."
