Sharon Keogan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

There is a Bill before the Dáil to amend the Gender Recognition Act 2015. This Bill seeks to ensure that there will be single-sex accommodation in our prisons. The Bill is a vital measure to protect the rights and safety of women in our society. I commend Aontú on tabling such an important Bill. I acknowledge the reality of gender dysphoria and the importance of treating all individuals with respect and decency, but it is critical that our society is based on logic, science and evidence. The definition of a woman as a female adult is a fact supported by science and widely understood by our citizens. In recent years we have witnessed a troubling trend of social engineering with attempts to erase the word "woman" from various aspects of our society, including maternity legislation and healthcare language. Such changes undermine the recognition and rights of women. The Bill aims to protect the rights of women to safe spaces, particularly in prisons. The Gender Recognition Act allows a male-born individual, including those convicted of serious crimes, to be placed in women's prisons. This has led to dangerous situations such as the case of Barbie Kardashian, a male-born individual convicted of violent crimes, being placed in a women's prison. This is a grave dereliction of duty by the Government in protecting women. We now know this individual has threatened to rape female inmates and staff at Limerick Prison. The Bill seeks to ensure gender recognition certificates do not override the need for single-sex accommodation in prisons. It is a necessary measure to protect the safety and rights of women in our society.