Irish Government pledges ban on conversion therapy

The Irish Government has re-committed to introducing legislation to outlaw so-called conversion practices, with a promise that a ban will be operational before the end of 2026.

This commitment forms part of the National LGBTIQ+ Inclusion Strategy II. A similar pledge was made under the previous strategy, though no law was enacted due to acknowledged legal complexities.

In January 2025, a new Draft Programme for Government stopped short of a firm legislative commitment, stating only that the coalition would "advance legislation". However, the updated strategy now promises to “enact and commence” a ban by the end of next year.

The Government also plans to establish a working group on legal recognition for people who identify as non-binary.

An official Government-commissioned report in 2023 found little or no evidence of conversion practices in Ireland. Researchers stated they were “unsuccessful in finding any research literature” published in Ireland on the issue, and fewer than one in twelve respondents to their survey reported experiencing such practices over the past 30 years. LGBT advocacy groups contributed to the design and promotion of the study.

A poll conducted for The Christian Institute in 2023 showed that voters were more concerned with healthcare and housing than legislating on conversion practices.

In Northern Ireland, FOI requests from the Christian Institute revealed that Health and Social Care Trusts had received almost no complaints related to conversion practices. Despite this, Alliance MLA Eóin Tennyson has proposed legislation that could criminalise parents or church leaders who seek to discourage children from pursuing gender transition.