Two controversial Irish transgender groups look set to receive public money despite widespread suspicion. RTÉ One’s The Late Late Toy Show is an annual fundraising broadcast, money from which is scheduled to benefit the Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI) and Belong To Youth Services.
Both groups have advocated for ‘gender affirming’ procedures, including using pharmaceuticals and surgery, for children. This means that the state broadcaster performing such fundraising has raised eyebrows. In 2022, TENI’s repeated failure to produce complete financial accounts led Ireland’s Health Service Executive to suspend all funding—only for the Department of Children to jump in with €93,000 to fund a new “Trans Awareness Hub”.
Cork’s Independent Ireland TD (MP) Ken O’Flynn said that
It’s important that we scrutinise where money is going, particularly when it comes from generous donations made by the Irish public, often intended for vulnerable children.
‘Gender-critical’ activist and Father Ted co-creator Graham Linehan called it an “unforgivable betrayal.”
RTÉ claimed that the Appeal has “positive impact on the lives of children right across the country in a variety of ways” and praised “remarkable generosity of RTÉ viewers of the Late Late Toy Show,” which normally airs every November.
