Gender Recognition Act is a testament to Ireland's ability to cherish all our children equally

The Gender Recognition Act 2015 offered transgender persons a rare opportunity to be equal legal citizens, recognised for who they are and should be celebrated for that

The roots of the campaign for legal gender recognition in Ireland can be traced back to the 1990s, when Dr Lydia Foy began her fight to have her legal gender recognised on her birth certificate. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire

This summer will mark six years of the operation of the Gender Recognition Act 2015 in Ireland. In recent months, the act has become the subject of intense debate, as much for its genesis as its contents.

In simple terms, the Gender Recognition Act allows for transgender persons to be legally recognised in their true gender through the issuance of a Gender Recognition Certificate. It operates on a system of self-declaration – there is no requirement for medical diagnosis or judicial approval before a certificate can be obtained.