Press release
Minister O’Gorman launches campaign to celebrate Ireland's LGBTI+ community
From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Published on
Last updated on
Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman, has today announced a new public awareness campaign to celebrate Ireland’s LGBTI+ Community. The campaign aims to start a conversation about the progress made, to date, in Ireland in achieving equality for the LGBTI+ community, while also reflecting on the work that remains to be done.
As part of the campaign, prominent members of the LGBTI+ community in Ireland sat down to start a conversation, highlighting their own experiences and perspectives on equality and acceptance, the strides we have made as a country, and the next steps that need to be taken. Broadcaster Noel Cunningham and poet FeliSpeaks, who both took part in the campaign’s video series, joined the Minister to officially launch the campaign. The series can be viewed on the department’s social media accounts.
Launching the campaign, Minister O’Gorman said:
“It’s so important to take stock of how far we have come as a country, without losing sight of the work we need to do in the future. The participants in this campaign represent a broad span of age, background and experiences, and their individual perspectives provide us with a jumping off point to start this conversation together. I want to thank everyone who took part for sharing their experience with us.
"As my department commences work on identifying priority areas for inclusion in the new successor LGBTI+ Strategy, this conversation is more important than ever. We, as a government remain committed to the promotion and protection of the rights of LGBTI+ persons. I want the new Strategy to be representative of everyone in this community, and to be ambitious in its goals. Ireland is a diverse, colourful, creative country and our LGBTI+ community are an essential part of that.
"It is now time to move forward together as a country, and work to achieve equality for all.”
The campaign is available at: Looking Back, Moving Forward Together.
The National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy (2019-2021), which was adopted by Government and launched in November 2019, provides a whole-of-government framework for identifying and addressing issues, which may prevent LGBTI+ people from enjoying full equality in practice in Irish society.
The overall vision informing the Strategy is of a safe, fair and inclusive Ireland where people are supported to flourish and to live inclusive, healthy and fulfilling lives, whatever their sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or sex characteristics.
The Strategy pursues objectives under four thematic pillars providing a vision of an Ireland where LGBTI+ people are visible and included, treated equally, healthy and feel safe and supported.
With a view to making progress towards these high-level objectives, 108 actions were agreed. As a living document, provision was made for modification of the Strategy as needs arose during its lifetime.
The National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy was extended into 2023, and will be concluded in June 2023. A Review of the Strategy will be carried out in the second half of 2023, after which a new Strategy will be developed.