The Government is set to receive an update on the development of laws prohibiting conversion therapy for LGBTI+ people in Ireland. Minister for Equality Roderic O’Gorman is spearheading the proposals to ban conversion therapy, and will inform cabinet of the general scheme of a bill to be brought forward in the coming weeks.

Conversion therapy refers to pseudoscientific forms of treatment to attempt to change a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression to align with heterosexual and cisgender norms.

The new government proposals on stopping conversion therapy include criminal law offences around the practice, as well as a ban against advertising it. The legislation is expected to cover conversion therapies aimed at altering both sexual orientation and gender identity.

The proposed bill is also expected to contain safeguards for both medical and social care professionals who support people questioning either their sexual orientation or their gender identity.

A previously commissioned Government study by Trinity College in Dublin found that the practice of conversion therapy still takes place in Ireland. The study found the practice to be “traumatising”, “harmful”, “damaging” and “destructive” to the wellbeing of those forced to undertake conversion therapy.

Participants in the study described distress at identifying as LGBTI+, and how interventions aimed at “curing” them caused further distress, when they did not work and exacerbated their sense of shame and “sinfulness”. The study also reported children as young as 12 had undergone electroshock treatment.

The Trinity College study has informed the Government’s new proposed bill on banning conversion therapy.