The HSE has ordered a report into the independent Cass Review which exposed deficiencies in the care of children with gender dysphoria and prompted the UK to ban the use of puberty blockers.

It has asked Dr Karl Neff, the newly appointed Clinical Lead for Transgender Services to write the report.

He had criticised a previous HSE report into Ireland’s use of the Tavistock gender clinic for children which also operated a satellite service in Crumlin’s children hospital.

Emails reviewed by the Irish Independent showed the Report’s author Dr Orla Healy told Dr Neff that she had spoken to “colleagues” in Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) Crumlin to get “their views and assurance”.

“But I am not reviewing the service provided at CHI Crumlin,” Dr Healy said last November. “In no way is the quality or safety of the service being provided at CHI Crumlin being questioned.”

Dr Neff said Dr Healy should review source records in Crumlin, adding: “With respect, I do not believe that verbal assurances are sufficiently robust as a methodology”.

Former justice minister Charlie Flanagan called that same HSE report a “whitewash”.