Former minister for justice slams HSE review of gender dysphoria treatment

11th April 2023

Former Justice Minister, Charlie Flanagan, has described an internal HSE review of its gender identity service for children and young people as “wholly inadequate and insufficient”, and repeated his call for an independent investigation.

Mr Flanagan, a Fine Gael TD, said the HSE review, which he has read, was “commissioned by the HSE, written by the HSE, proofed by the HSE, and published by the HSE. It is lacking in any independence, and I repeat my call for an independent review.”

The review was commissioned by the HSE’s chief medical officer, Dr Colm Henry, in response to an independent report the English NHS commissioned from UK consultant paediatrician Dr Hilary Cass into its own gender identity service which found multiple failings including high numbers of children being put on puberty blockers.

Following the report by Dr Cass, it was announced that the Tavistock gender clinic in England, to which Irish patients have been referred for psychiatric and psychological assessments, was to close.