Schools are terrified of getting things wrong where transgender students are concerned. The department has not issued guidelines on transgender students since 2016. While transgender students are a particular concern, the numbers are small. The total number on the waiting list at the end of November was 4,375, with 590 children waiting for more than 12 months. Over the previous year, 28 per cent of teachers rated their mental health as “poor” or “very poor”.

Source: The Irish Times February 01, 2026 19:07 UTC