Ireland and FGM

Ireland’s first conviction for FGM is being re-tried (June/July 2023) and we await the outcome.*

In November 2019, the jury at Dublin’s Circuit Criminal Court found a Dublin couple guilty of being secondary participants to FGM – of aiding and abetting, counselling or procuring it on their nearly two year old daughter. The gardaí suspected it was carried out by a witch-doctor.

The couple appealed against both their convictions and sentences.

Justices Birmingham P. Edwards J. Kennedy J delivered their judgement 18 Nov 2021.

P91. “It seems to us that in so far as the appellants’ trial was concerned it must be regarded as having been unsafe and unsatisfactory for not having complied with either the spirit or the substance of what is required by the Interpretation and Translation Directive in order to safeguard the fairness of the proceedings, and in particular to ensuring that the appellants were properly able to exercise their right of defence. We have no hesitation in finding that the appellants’ trial was unfair in that respect and other than a trial in due course of law.”

The Justices agreed however ‘It is not necessary for us in the circumstances to proceed to determine the outstanding motions or to conclude the appeal hearing in so far as the expert evidence issue is concerned.”

The conviction was squashed and the parents released on bail.

The retrial was held ‘in camera’ during June/July 2023.

Ireland’s response to FGM

In 2008, Ireland recognised that women and families from countries with high prevalence of FGM such as Northern Sudan (90% estimated prevalence of FGM in girls and women aged 15-49) and Somalia (98%) were migrating to Ireland and began to prepare and develop a response.

Although it did not have the extensive anti-FGM media and propaganda campaigns that Britain did, it’s likely that it was exposed to some, and health professionals, paediatricians, midwives and public health professionals would probably have had education and training in regard to it.

Ireland’s first FGM trial took place in Nov 2019. This was during the UK’s moral panic in regard to the practice and soon after its first conviction was secured, much to the relief of UK authorities. 

Development of initiatives in Ireland

In November 2008, the first National Plan of Action to address Female Genital Mutilation (2008-2011) was launched

From 2010, having been granted refugee status in Ireland, Somali born Ifrah Ahmed campaigned against and helped raise awareness of FGM.

In September 2010, research undertaken by the charity AkiDwA estimated the number of women with FGM living in Ireland had increased from 2,585 in 2007 to 3,170.

On 31 Jan 2011, the National Steering Committee on FGM wrote to all political parties contesting the next General Election, asking for their commitment to ensure legislation on FGM would be at the top of their policy agenda, and the criminalisation of FGM would be accorded priority within the Government’s Programme.

In February 2011, Ireland marked the seventh International Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation Day.

In May 2011 The European Court of Human Rights agreed that a Nigerian woman and her two daughters, whom she claimed faced the risk of FGM, could return there because the prevailing political and legal situation in parts of the country meant that internal relocation was available to them.

In 2012, The Criminal Justice (Female Genital Mutilation) Act 2012 was passed and made it illegal to perform FGM in Ireland or to take a girl out of Ireland for that purpose.

AkiDwA published a guide (date unknown) as a working tool for teachers at primary and second level and teacher educators to assist in the safeguarding of children from FGM. It also published Information for Health-Care Professionals Working in Ireland (2nd Edition, 2013).

In May 2014 the first specialist clinic opened in Dublin for the estimated 4000 women affected by FGM

The 2016 census estimated that 5795 women living in Ireland had undergone FGM. This was a 50 per cent increase from the 2008 estimate. And 1,632 girls were estimated to be at high risk. 

In February 2018 a worldwide social media campaign #MeTooFGM was launched in Dublin with the backing of the Ifrah Foundation and the #MeToo movement.

In March 2018, the National Plan for Action to Address Female Genital Mutilation was updated and published. An objective of the Plan was to improve data collection of women with FGM presenting to maternity hospitals. Data, if collected, is difficult to access.  But in 2018, Dublin’s Rotunda (Maternity) Hospital reported it treated nine women in 2017 and 15 in 2018 for “issues relating to FGM”.

In Nov 2019, World Vision Ireland assessed that 3,780 females in Ireland had suffered FGM in the past eight years – with 1,632 girls at high risk of it. It warned that the real figure could be a lot higher “‘because families go abroad to undergo the dangerous procedure”.

At the 2019 Nairobi Summit, the Irish Government committed “to fostering collaboration between networks, to inform and train Garda members, to develop and implement education and public awareness campaigns among all health professionals and communities affected by FGM and to provide training to increase the knowledge and competence of healthcare providers.”

In Nov 2019, Information for Health-Care Professionals Working in Ireland, first published in 2008, was published online.

On 27 Jan 2020, Ireland’s first conviction for FGM was secured.

In Jan 2020, ActionAid Ireland and AkiDwA estimated that 1,632 girls living in Ireland were at high risk of FGM. We do not know how ‘risk’ was assessed or defined.

In February 2020 the Garda’s Protective Services Bureau was reported to be working on FGM guidelines for the force.

In March 2023, The Minister for Justice promised that the Third Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence committed to put in place special health support services required by victims/survivors of FGM. To fulfil this, Ireland’s health service would commence a mapping exercise of current service provision with a view to identifying gaps in the provision to victims/survivors of FGM. This mapping would include consultation with relevant community support organisations and looking at the needs assessment of staff.

2023. The IFPA runs Ireland’s only clinic for the treatment of FGM. It provides free medical and psychological care for women and girls affected by FGM, including referral for surgical assessment when required.

2023. The IFPA advertises one-hour presentation on FGM (online or in person) to healthcare professionals and other service providers, like social workers.

2023. On a website search (Aug 9th), Ireland’s Child & Family Agency TUSLA, did not return any results for ‘FGM’.

Dublin Garda Síochána (Police Force) together with the Border Management Unit emulated a UK initiative by launching Operation Limelight in October 2023 – to raise awareness of harmful practices such as FGM and forced marriage.

September 2024. Dáil Éireann debate.

August 2024. Since 2017, 318 women and girls seeking asylum in Ireland have cited FGM as their primary reason for seeking refugee status. Of those, 130, or 41 per cent, were granted refugee status or other forms of protection.

Research

Two FGM prevalence studies were carried out in Ireland. The first was published in 2008, and the second in 2010. A third was planned.

In Oct 2020, a piece of original research led by Dr Hodes was published. It confirmed that few young children were presenting with FGM in Britain or Ireland. The few instances reported were historic – carried out prior to the children arrived in either country.

August 2024

Charges were dropped in regard to Ireland’s first FGM conviction in July 2024 and a miscarriage of justice alleged. The case is to be mentioned before a judge in October 2024.

Nov 2025

Will Ireland pay a heavy price for buying into the FGM moral panic?

January 2026

The Court of Appeal reserved its decision on an application by a couple whose convictions for the genital mutilation of their daughter were quashed, to have their cases declared a miscarriage of justice.