Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 February 2026
1055. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether she accepts that responsibility for national policy, safeguarding standards, and governance frameworks for services involving children rests with her Department rather than with clinical programmes established by the Health Service Executive; and how that responsibility is exercised in the context of gender identity services for minors. [9488/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Model of Care for Paediatric Health Care Services was approved and published by the HSE in 2016; it strongly advocates for an integrated networked structure of healthcare services for children and young people supporting the delivery of care as close to a child’s home as is safely possible, aligned with Sláintecare.
The new National Children’s Hospital Ireland (NCHI) is a key enabler of this Model of Care, acting as the hub of the national network of paediatric services, with robust links to regional and local paediatric acute units to deliver acute paediatric care close to home for children where clinically appropriate. In addition to the NCHI, regional paediatric care is available from three centres at Galway, Limerick, and Cork, and local paediatric care is available from 14 units around the country.
The Deputy will be aware, as set out in the Programme for Government 2025, that Government is committed to ensuring a transgender healthcare service that is based on clinical evidence, respect, inclusiveness and compassion.
It is in this context that the HSE has established a National Clinical Programme for Gender Healthcare to develop an updated clinical Model of Care with the aim of designing clinical pathways to deliver safe and effective health and social care for those seeking gender affirming healthcare services. This work will also inform an implementation plan for its delivery.
Developing a model of care for Gender Healthcare Services is expected to be a complex process and the HSE and my department will work closely together to support the process, ensure transparency and keep the patient at the centre of the process.
It is important that the HSE is given time to develop a model of care that is based on the best clinical evidence and that will deliver the best outcomes for persons with gender incongruence or dysphoria.
In the context of current services, there is no specialist gender service for children and young people (under the age of 16), the current pathway for children and young people is to attend their GP who may refer the patient to their local CAMHS service.
The HSE National Clinical Programme for Gender Healthcare will include a clinical framework for the clinical support and management of children and young people in primary, secondary and specialist care settings, and matters such as the collection of clinical data will be considered in the development of this model of care.
