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Dáil
‹ An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

Gender Recognition Bill clarification

Summary

Micheál Martin sought to correct the record after being told the wrong Bill had been raised, insisting the promised Government legislation on the 2015 review was on the programme. Regina Doherty maintained he had referred to a Seanad bill and that the draft legislation did not yet exist, while the Chair and Taoiseach tried to end the back-and-forth.

I want to correct the order. When I asked my question about the Gender Recognition Bill 2015, the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Deputy Regina Doherty, indicated that she had no idea what I was talking about. It is on the legislative schedule.

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Are Members allowed to speak a second time?

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I want to correct the record of the House.

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Pat the Cope Gallagher An Leas-Cheann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

The Deputy will have an opportunity to speak.

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It is a Government Bill which appears on page 6 of the legislative programme. Its purpose is to implement recommendations contained in the report to the Oireachtas on the review of the Gender Recognition Act 2015. Work is under way on its status; it was only published two weeks ago.

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Pat the Cope Gallagher An Leas-Cheann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

We will allow for clarification.

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The Minister said she had no idea what I was talking about.

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The Deputy brought up a Sinn Féin Private Members' Bill that had been raised in the Seanad.

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I did not bring it up. I said it was the 2015 Bill.

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The Deputy referred to a Bill that had been brought through the Seanad in 2017. I said I had no knowledge of it because I was not involved in it.

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Clearly, the Minister has no knowledge of her own legislation either.

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Given that the legislation has not yet been drafted, it is difficult to know what is included in it. Does the Deputy not agree?

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There is no need to be so-----

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I believe the Deputy is wrong and it would not be the first time.

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Seán Sherlock Deputy Sean Sherlock Labour Party

On a point of order, Deputy Micheál Martin asked a legitimate question. He is an Opposition Member and asked a question of the Government.

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Pat the Cope Gallagher An Leas-Cheann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

The question was put to the Taoiseach who delegated-----

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Seán Sherlock Deputy Sean Sherlock Labour Party

He was given a wholly inadequate answer.

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Pat the Cope Gallagher An Leas-Cheann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

It is a point of clarification rather than order. The question was put to the Taoiseach who delegated to the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Deputy Regina Doherty. Clarification has, I hope, been provided.

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Leo Varadkar The Taoiseach Fine Gael

I apologise if I directed the question to the wrong Minister.

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Seán Sherlock Deputy Sean Sherlock Labour Party

The Minister for Justice and Equality is here, too.

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Pat the Cope Gallagher An Leas-Cheann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

The matter will have to be clarified on another occasion.

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