LGBT Rights in Ireland

Homosexuality: ⚢
✔ Legal
Gay Marriage: ⚭
✔ Legal
Censorship: ✔ No censorship
Changing Gender: ✔ Legal, surgery not required
Non-binary gender recognition: ✖ Not legally recognized
Discrimination: ✔ Illegal
Employment Discrimination: ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
Housing Discrimination: Sexual orientation only
Adoption: ✔ Legal
Military: ✔ Legal
Donating Blood: ✖ Banned (3-month deferral)
Conversion Therapy: ✖ Not banned
Age of Consent: ✔ Equal

Public Opinion

Perceived prevalence of discrimination against sexual orientation (European Union)

Ranked #14 out of 28 regions surveyed. (Source: Eurobarometer, May 2019)

Question: "For each of the following types of discrimination, could you please tell me whether, in your opinion, it is very widespread, fairly widespread, fairly rare or very rare in (OUR COUNTRY)? Discrimination on the basis of: Sexual orientation (being gay, lesbian, bisexual)"

(48%) Widespread

Rare (44%)

Perceived prevalence of discrimination against transgender people (European Union)

Ranked #18 out of 28 regions surveyed. (Source: Eurobarometer, May 2019)

(50%) Widespread

Rare (36%)

Acceptance of same-sex relationships (European Union)

Ranked #9 out of 28 regions surveyed. (Source: Eurobarometer, May 2019)

Question: "To what extent do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?: There is nothing wrong in a sexual relationship between two persons of the same sex"

(14%) Disagree

Agree (80%)

Support for transgender people changing legal gender (European Union)

Ranked #11 out of 28 regions surveyed. (Source: Eurobarometer, May 2019)

Question: "Do you think that transgender persons should be able to change their civil documents to match their inner gender identity?"

(22%) No

Yes (65%)

Perceived Acceptance of Gay People

Ranked #8 out of 119 regions surveyed. (Source: Gallup, 2013)

Question: "Is the city or area where you live a good place or not a good place for homosexuals?"

(14%) Not a good place

Good place (75%)

History

Homosexual activity in Ireland

Homosexual activity in Ireland is legal.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 1993

Legal

Homosexuality was decriminalized in Ireland with the the passing of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act, 1993.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Same-sex marriage in Ireland

Same-sex marriage in Ireland is legal.

Current status
Since Nov 16, 2015

Legal

The Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Marriage Equality) Bill 2015 (bill no.5 of 2015)

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Jan 1, 2011–May 23, 2015

Civil unions

Granted under the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act, 2010.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Censorship of LGBT Issues in Ireland

Censorship of LGBT Issues in Ireland is no censorship.

Current status

No censorship

In Ireland, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Right to change legal gender in Ireland

Right to change legal gender in Ireland is legal, surgery not required.

Current status
Since Jul 15, 2015

Legal, surgery not required

For adults over 18, individuals can change their legal gender without a surgery. However, for individuals between the age of 16-18, there is a "route to recognition"

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Jan 2002–Jul 15, 2015

Illegal

No legislation at present, but government has said it will legislate and there has been a landmark court prompting the government to seek legislation surrounding the issue. This legislation has yet to be carried out.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Ireland

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Ireland is not legally recognized.

Current status

Not legally recognized

As per the Gender Recognition Act of 2015, residents of the Republic of Ireland can only change their legal gender marker to male or female. The Gender Recognition Act is written in binary terms of gender and there is no mention of non-binary identity in the act.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

LGBT discrimination in Ireland

LGBT discrimination in Ireland is illegal.

Current status
Since Dec 3, 2015

Illegal

Ireland has removed their religious exceptions for anti-gay discrimination, making it completely illegal now.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Oct 25, 2000–Aug 1, 2018

Illegal

Full discrimination under sex and disability. Under all of the discrimination protections.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Jan 1, 2000–Jan 1, 2004

Illegal in some contexts

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Jan 2, 1998–Jan 1, 2000

Illegal in some contexts

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Jan 1, 1989–Jan 1, 1998

Illegal in some contexts

Details · Accurate? Yes No

LGBT employment discrimination in Ireland

LGBT employment discrimination in Ireland is sexual orientation and gender identity.

Current status
Since Mar 29, 2011

Sexual orientation and gender identity

Includes both sexual orientation and gender identity.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Jan 1999–Mar 29, 2011

Sexual orientation only

Ireland's Employment Equality Act, 1998, and the Equal Status Act, 2000 outlawed discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

LGBT housing discrimination in Ireland

LGBT housing discrimination in Ireland is sexual orientation only.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 2000

Sexual orientation only

Ireland's Employment Equality Act, 1998, and the Equal Status Act, 2000 outlawed discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Jan 1, 2000–Aug 1, 2018

Sexual orientation and gender identity

Under the new anti discrimination protection laws passed 1989-2000.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Same-sex adoption in Ireland

Same-sex adoption in Ireland is legal.

Current status
Since Apr 4, 2015

Legal

As Same Sex Marriage is now fully legal, same sex couples can adopt children. One month before it became legal, same sex couples can also adopt children.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Nov 1, 2010–May 23, 2015

Single only

Law specifies that married couples or single individuals may adopt, but there is no same sex marriage in Ireland at present.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Serving openly in military in Ireland

Serving openly in military in Ireland is legal.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 2007

Legal

Section 1.5 of Ireland's Defence Forces's "Equality, Diversity, and Equal Status Policies" state that "the nine (9) grounds on which discrimination is prohibited are: Gender, marital status, family status, disability, sexual orientation, age, religion, race and membership of the Traveller community."

Details · Accurate? Yes No

May 1, 1993–Jan 1, 2007

N/A

The Irish Army changed their policy in early 1993

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Blood donations by MSMs in Ireland

Blood donations by MSMs in Ireland is banned (3-month deferral).

Current status
Since Mar 28, 2022

Banned (3-month deferral)

On March 28, 2022, the deferral period has been reduced to four months.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Jan 15, 2017–Mar 28, 2022

Banned (1-year deferral)

Also applies to women who have had sex with a man who has ever had sex with another man.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Nov 7, 2011–Jan 14, 2017

Banned (indefinite deferral)

The Irish Blood Transfusion Service bans blood from men who have sex with men. Their policy states: "In order to assure the continued safety of the blood supply, we currently ask those people who may have a particularly high risk of carrying blood-borne viruses not to give blood. This includes men who have ever had sex with another man / men."

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Conversion therapy in Ireland

Conversion therapy in Ireland is not banned.

Current status

Not banned

Conversion therapy is currently not banned in Ireland, but government is actively studying ways to ban it and plans to do so in the very near future.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Equal age of consent in Ireland

Equal age of consent in Ireland is equal.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 1993

Equal

The age of consent in Ireland is 17 for heterosexual and homosexual sex. Section 2 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 1993 states: "Subject to sections 3 and 5 of this Act, any rule of law by virtue of which buggery between persons is an offence is hereby abolished."

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Equality Index ?

72 / 100

Legal Rights

85 / 100

Public Opinion

60 / 100

#31

Interest Rank ?

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Alternative names: Ireland/Éire (local name)

LGBT Rights in Ireland

Public Opinion

Perceived prevalence of discrimination against sexual orientation (European Union)

Perceived prevalence of discrimination against transgender people (European Union)

Acceptance of same-sex relationships (European Union)