Northern Ireland

Several parties in Stormont have committed to legislating against ‘conversion therapy’. The UUP brought a motion calling for a ban in 2021. The motion received backing from Sinn Fein, Alliance and the SDLP.

Another motion was passed in June 2024, calling for the Communities Minister to table legislation. It was proposed by SDLP members and backed by Sinn Fein, Alliance and People Before Profit. The DUP tabled an amendment to clarify that prayer and pastoral care should not be considered ‘conversion practices’. This fell despite backing from the TUV and several UUP members.

In the June 2024 debate, the Communities Minister Gordon Lyons (DUP) suggested that more consultation was required:

“The development of legislation to ban those practices will require careful analysis of all the elements that are involved. Indeed, if we do establish a definition of what conversion practices are, we also need to examine whether there is a gap in the law and how best we can fill that gap in a way that is compliant and consistent with human rights legislation.”

Several MLAs have said that should the Executive not approve plans for a ban, they will bring forward a Private Member’s Bill on the matter.

Let Us Pray will continue providing help and guidance on how to speak out against a dangerously broad conversion therapy law. Join the campaign and we will keep you up to date, and help you be an influence when it matters most.