Cork senator to chair rainbow caucus

Cork Labour Senator Laura Harmon has been elected chair of the rainbow LGBTQI+ caucus in the Oireachtas, and has called for investment in trans healthcare in Cork and across Ireland.

Ms Harmon, who led the student movement campaign for marriage equality and has been a consistent campaigner for LGBTQI+ rights, is currently the only openly gay woman elected to the Oireachtas.

She told The Echo: “I’m delighted to be elected chair of the LGBTQ+ caucus in the Oireachtas, and I want to pay tribute to minister Jerry Buttimer who was fundamental in setting the caucus up and was chair initially.

‘’From parental rights to LGBTQI sports and from elder care to trans rights, there are so many areas that need to be a focus for the LGBTQI community. It has been a decade since the Gender Recognition Act passed in Ireland yet trans people are increasingly being failed by the national gender service.”

Ms Harmon said providing gender-affirming care in primary care settings was “increasingly important”.

“It is shameful that as a country that led on LGBTQI+ matters like marriage equality we have now been ranked as last in Europe for provision of trans healthcare. BelongTo found that one in three trans adults waited a minimum three years for a first appointment regarding trans healthcare in Ireland. Commitments in the current programme for government are less ambitious than set out in 2020 and disregard World Professional Association for Transgender Health recommendations on international best practice.”

She said it has been 10 years since the Gender Recognition Act was passed, “yet a mere 2,000 trans people have been able to use this service, many waiting over a decade.

“We must empower GPs and primary care units to accommodate trans people in their communities. The over-reliance on the national gender service in Dublin is aggravating delays and deepening regional inequalities. Communities in Cork and across Ireland must have access to appropriate healthcare where they are.”

Ms Harmon added: “We have to protect our trans communities and members of the LGBTQI+ community more widely. I look forward to working with other members of the caucus in a plan of work for 2026.”