Irish Rail (Iarnród Éireann) is facing criticism for “bowing before the pressure of a vocal minority” after the operator of Ireland’s national railway network made a decision to remove Mr and Mrs titles from its online train booking system.
The move came in response to feedback from a survey, carried out by Irish Rail, in partnership with Belong To LGBTQ+ Youth Ireland. According to Irish Rail, the survey was conducted with “a view to better understanding what mattered to these communities when travelling by train.”
A total of 68 adults took part in the survey, with more than half of the respondents identifying as gay, 27 per cent as bisexual, 12 per cent as lesbian, 16 per cent as transgender and 14 per cent as non-binary, according to Irish Rail. The survey cited how more than one third of respondents said they had used trains to attend LGBTQ+ events including Pride festivals.
As part of the survey, Irish Rail made a donation of €5,000 to the support group.
In response to the survey, Irish Rail said it was removing all gender titles from its online booking system, meaning passengers will no longer select either Mr, Mrs or Ms as their title before entering their name when purchasing a ticket online. The change is to come into effect in the coming months.
Independent TD for Offaly, Carol Nolan, said the move was “regrettable,” as she hit out at the decision as “spineless.”
“It continues to astonish me that state bodies and state agencies continue to bend the knee to fringe ideological perspectives,” she said. “Indeed, I find it deeply regrettable that Irish Rail has chosen to ally itself to the agenda of a small cohort of people who seem to be of the belief that the majority must accommodate themselves to their own particular sensitivities.
“A bit of moral courage on the part of Irish Rail would have been preferable to this fairly spineless decision to bow before the pressure of a vocal minority. I don’t think for a moment anyone believes this was done for any other reason than that Irish Rail feared a potential backlash.”
The State funded NGO BeLongTo came under heavy criticism in 2023 after it emerged it had produced a handbook for teachers and youth workers which specifically instructs those professionals to lie to parents/guardians about their children.
The guide, called “Universal LGBT+ awareness and skills training for professionals working with young people in community or education settings,” was a handbook for teachers and youth educators aimed at informing them how to handle issues related to gender and sexuality.
Independent Ireland TD Ken O’Flynn has been among those to question the continued government funding of NGOs including BelongTo and TENI, including in June when it emerged that both charities were among the 169 recipients of the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal grant awards in 2025.
Deputy O’Flynn said he’d question the “continued automatic funding” of certain organisations just because they align with “current trends or ideologies”.
“I’ve said before — and I stand by it — that I believe there are two biological sexes, with intersex as a rare and medically defined exception. That view is grounded in science and common sense, and it’s one shared by many people in this country. At the same time, I’ve always advocated that we treat people who are struggling with their identity with dignity, respect and compassion. We can be both truthful and kind — those two things are not in conflict,” he said.
An Irish Rail spokeswoman told the Irish Times last week: “This approach allowed Iarnród Éireann to gain meaningful insights into the experiences of LGBTQ+ rail users and directly contribute to the delivery of important services for the community.”
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager with Iarnród Éireann, Samuel Riggs, said: “Rail travel has always been about connection between people, places, and communities.
“What this survey with Belong To shows is how trains are woven into the everyday lives of LGBTQ+ people across Ireland.
“From attending Pride festivals, to visiting loved ones, to feeling safe travelling under your chosen name, rail is a trusted part of those journeys.”
Caroline Flynn of BelongTo said that the survey was “an important step in understanding what matters to the LGBTQ+ communities in a changing world,” claiming that there has been “an increase in anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment on the part of a small minority.
“We know that safety is not a given for LGBTQ+ people,” she said, adding: “In that light, we’re really happy to see this initiative from Iarnród Éireann, listening, learning and acting.”