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.

The ability for same-sex couples to legally adopt a child.

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

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."

The difference between legal age of consent for homosexual sex and heterosexual sex.

Men who have sex with men will no longer have to wait four months before giving blood, as changes to who can donate blood come into effect today. Instead, individual assessments will now be made.

The ability for MSMs (men who have sex with men) to donate blood or tissue for organ transplants. A deferral period refers to a waiting time before a man can donate after having sex.

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

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

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."

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

Censorship or prohibition of discussing, promoting, or teaching LGBTQ+ topics in media, schools, and in the general public.

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"

Legal recognition of sex reassignment by permitting a change of legal gender on an individual's birth certificate.

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.

Conversion therapy is currently not banned in Ireland.<br />
Ireland has vowed to ban conversion therapy by 2024.

Legal status of conducting sexual orientation changing therapy ("ex-gay" therapy)

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

Prohibition of discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

In 1993, the Unfair Dismissals Act (1977) was amended by the Unfair Dismissals (Amendment) Act (1993) to provide that dismissal on the grounds of an employee’s "sexual orientation" would automatically be deemed unfair.<br />
In 1998, Section 6(2)(d) of the Employment Equality Act (1999) extended this protection on the basis of "sexual orientation" to other aspects of employment.<br />
The Employment Equality Act (1998) was amended by the Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (2015), which established that state-funded religious, medical or educational institutions may not discriminate on the basis of "sexual orientation", except in limited cases where “the action is objectively justified by the institution’s aim of preventing the undermining of the religious ethos of the institution”.

Prohibition of discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity in employment, including hiring, promotion, termination, harassment, etc.

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

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

Consensual sexual activity between individuals of the same sex.

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

Prohibition of discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity when applying for housing or discrimination by landlords / property owners.

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

Marriage and marriage recognition between two people of the same biological sex and/or gender identity.

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

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."

The ability for homosexuals to serve in the military and be open about their sexuality.

The Irish Army changed their policy in early 1993

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.

Legal recognition of non-binary, genderqueer, or third gender identities.

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