A chairwoman has been appointed to a group which will review the Gender Recognition Act 2015.
Moninne Griffith is executive director of BeLonGTo, a national organisation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) young people.
The current Act allows transgender people over the age of 18 to self-declare their own gender identity.
The review of the 2015 Act will cover issues such as gender recognition for children younger than 16 years of age; arrangements for 16- and 17-year-olds; and the position of non-binary and intersex persons.
The review will include the position of people who are non-binary (do not identify as exclusively male or female) and the position of 16- and 17-year-olds and younger children.
Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty also announced three members of the group – Sara Phillips, Seamus Byrne and Dr Tanya Ní Mhuirthile.
The full membership of the group will be finalised in the coming days and the group will commence its work later this month.
Ms Doherty said Ms Griffith’s professional background and her current work make her an ideal person to chair the group.
Ms Griffith said she looked forward to working with the many individuals and groups who have views and a vision of what the 2015 Act can deliver.
It is intended that the review will be completed by end of May 2018.