“There’s no such thing as a transgender child,” Taoiseach Micheál Martin has been told, after his claim that children can be transgender prompted a strong backlash, with one critic describing his remarks as “terrifying.”
Speaking to Gript outside Government Buildings this morning, the Fianna Fáil Taoiseach said he believes that some children can be transgender, stating that there are “young people in life who’ve had very significant difficult issues” and who “have identified as trans.”
Asked directly whether he believes that a child can be transgender, Martin confirmed that he does, while also warning against engaging in “culture wars” on the issue.
“Yes, I mean I do believe [that],” he said.
“And there are young people in life who’ve had very significant difficult issues as they journey through life and many have identified as trans. And that is the situation. I don’t believe we should get into culture wars like they have in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. I think we should be mature and deal with this properly and always keep the individual at the centre of our considerations and not be engaged in undermining people’s dignity and people’s individuality.”
The remarks drew a sharp response from Irish comedy writer Graham Linehan, who criticised the Taoiseach’s understanding of the issue and rejected the premise of “transgender children.”
“It goes to show the quality of Ireland’s politicians that Martin can talk about transgender children without the first clue of what that’s supposed to mean,” Linehan said.
“None of them could tell you what it means. Making it up as they go along and praying that no one notices.”
He added: “There’s no such thing as a transgender child and it’s terrifying that a grown man would think there is.”
Psychotherapist Stella O’Malley also expressed concern about the Taoiseach’s comments, arguing that the concept of a transgender child is not supported by evidence and warning about the implications of medical interventions.
“It’s very disappointing that our Taoiseach hasn’t taken ten minutes to evaluate the evidence in this field,” she said.
“If he did he would be aware that to describe a child as transgender is profoundly inappropriate. No child is born in the wrong body. Many children are gender nonconforming, and the vast majority of these children grow up to be gay or lesbian- so long as clinicians don’t impede their development by blocking their puberty.”
She went on to argue that childhood gender nonconformity should not be treated as a medical condition.
“Some little girls might like to dress in boys’ clothes, and some little boys might want to dress in girls’ clothes – so what?” she said.
“It’s regressive to view this tendency as a medical condition that leads to puberty blockers and cross sex hormones.”
O’Malley further claimed that international developments suggest a shift away from such treatments, describing the issue as a matter of clinical concern rather than political debate.
“While politicians across the western world are waking up to the fact that there is no evidence base to support these irreversible medical interventions, Irish politicians are behind the curve and walking headlong into this disaster,” she said.
“This isn’t a culture war issue, it’s an ongoing medical scandal.”
A statement from gender-critical group The Countess also criticised the Taoiseach’s position, arguing that children cannot change sex and calling for what it described as evidence-based policy.
“Hugely disappointing from Micheál Martin,” the group said.
“Children cannot change sex. Affirming ‘identity’ leads to confusion and risks placing children on a medical pathway for life.”
The group also referenced international research and reviews in its response.
“Ireland needs evidence-based policy and parental safeguards, not ‘imported-culture-wars denials,’” it said.
“Finnish long term studies demonstrated that psychiatric needs did NOT improve post transition. Cass review also advocated for watchful waiting and said that ‘social transition’ is not a neutral act.”
The Countess added that it had sought engagement with Government on the issue.
“The Taoiseach claims he wants a respectful debate, however he refuses to engage with The Countess and other groups who are raising questions over the impact of the Gender Recognition Act on women and children,” the statement said.
“We are ready to talk if he is!!”
The issue of gender identity in children has been a point of debate within Irish politics in recent years. Fianna Fáil TD Mary Butler has previously spoken publicly about having a trans-identifying child, while the Taoiseach’s leadership approach has been criticised by some party figures, including Willie O’Dea, as being “woke” and out of step with the party’s core base.
Then-Education Minister Norma Foley, now Youth Minister and a Fianna Fáil TD, previously declined to give a direct answer when asked whether children can be transgender.
Meanwhile, Fine Gael’s Heather Humphreys, when running in last year’s Presidential Election, stated that gender is based on biology and suggested that aspects of the gender recognition act should be revisited.
Previous research published by the Irish government in 2021 found that the long-term effects of puberty blockers on young people were “largely unknown,” including potential impacts on bone density, cognitive development, and fertility. At the time, then-Minister Roderic O’Gorman acknowledged that there was limited evidence regarding the safety of such treatments for children.
Despite this, during the preceding period, a significant number of Irish children had been sent by the HSE to the now-disgraced and shut down Tavistock Clinic in the UK for gender-related treatments.