Deputy Smith also stated that trans advocacy groups should have a say in the appointment of the HSE clinical lead for the new model of care that is to be implemented through the National Gender Service:
“While the groups are obviously aware that they have no formal role in such an appointment, given that this is a small and vulnerable group of people, they feel that engagement regarding that role or position would be important,” said Deputy Smith.
Minister Donnelly hit back at any suggestion of a lack of engagement on his part, saying “I do not think that dig is fair. I am happy to meet the stakeholders. I have met TENI and other groups before and I am happy to meet them”.
The Minister then went on to state how his Department was committed to putting in place access to proper, appropriate and integrated care, including acute care and community care for transgender people and that to this end the HSE is going to consult widely with stakeholders, including TENI and others, in the development of the new model of care.
The Labour Party TD’s intervention,came after the two lead clinicians involved in transgender healthcare in Ireland made a formal complaint to the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) about the Health Service Executive’s (HSE) treatment of children with gender identity issues.
In early January, Professor Donal O’Shea and psychiatrist Dr Paul Moran of the National Gender Service (NGS) claimed that the HSE has essentially surrendered itself to the gender-affirming Model of Care promoted by transgender activists:
“It is driven by the patient,” Prof O’Shea said. “They use the term ‘informed consent,’ which is the patient has informed themselves and consents to the treatment.”
“That’s not the informed consent model that works in medicine, that we’re obliged by the Medical Council to adhere to, where we inform the patient in detail of the risks and benefits, and then make a joint decision.”
The HSE has denied allegations that it has put children at risk.
Issues around the extent to which trans advocacy groups have overly influenced the healthcare debate were also raised this weekend by Eoin O’Malley, writing on Sunday in the Irish Independent on why letting the transgender lobby groups effectively set the law and stifle debate is foolish.
In his reply to Deputy Smith on 18th January, Minister Stephen Donnelly said that he would take his criticism “very seriously,” and that “if the trans community feels that they are outside the door and nobody is listening to them, then whatever is happening is clearly not working and needs to be looked at. I commit to going back to the Department and the HSE on this.”