Standoff between NGS and Department will lead to longer wait times and greater distress

• Crisis at the NGS will lead to further distress for trans people.
• Serious questions for staffing and standards at the NGS.
• Minister must intervene to provide a model of care that is compassionate and meets the needs of a small vulnerable community.

Labour’s Health Spokesperson Marie Sherlock TD has called for immediate Government intervention following confirmation that the National Gender Service will close its waiting lists to new clients on 1 March 2026 due to a severe lack of resources. Around 2,470 people are currently waiting for care and at present rates it could take many years before they are seen. Deputy Sherlock said this crisis demands urgent political action to prevent even longer queues and greater distress for trans people and their families.

 

Deputy Sherlock said:“The decision by the National Gender Service to close its waiting lists is the clearest signal yet that the current model of care has reached breaking point. If the Government allows this standoff to continue, waiting lists will grow longer and the distress experienced by vulnerable people will only deepen.While there are issues with the current model and with the NGS, closing the wait lists will leave people with further uncertainty. The consequences are devastating. Research shows that almost one in three trans people have turned to black market medicines because they cannot adequate care. This Government has created the conditions where people feel they must self medicate. It is unacceptable and deeply damaging.

“Only last week in the Dáil, Labour called for a full reset of Ireland’s model of trans healthcare. The Government did not oppose our motion. If ministers accept that change is needed, then they must follow through with action. It is not credible to acknowledge the crisis in one breath and allow the system to deteriorate further in the next.

“This year marks ten years since the Gender Recognition Act 2015, landmark legislation introduced by Labour in Government. That Act affirmed the right of trans people to be recognised with dignity. The other part was access to compassionate and timely healthcare. A decade on, that promise has not been honoured. Instead, people are forced to navigate a fragmented and paternalistic model. That is not the Ireland promised in 2015.

“Government must act now. A standoff will only lead to further distress and greater waiting lists.”