A transsexual today won a landmark case to have her new name changed from male to female on her Leaving Cert exam certificate.
The action had been taken against the State Examinations Commission and the Department of Education and Science.
The case was settled when the State Examinations Commission agreed to reissue the transsexual's Leaving Certificate as well as her Group Intermediate Certificate exams in the female name she had chosen.
Equality Authority chief Niall Crowley said the outcome was a valuable and necessary recognition for transsexual people from an important statutory body.
"Steps should now be taken by the Government to provide a legal recognition for transsexual people in the gender with which they identify so that the example of the State Examinations Commission can be followed across all sectors," he said.
The complainant was registered at birth as male but was diagnosed with gender Identity Disorder and underwent treatment for this.
She changed her name by deed poll and requested to have her Group Intermediate Certificate and her Leaving Certificate amended to reflect her new name as she needed these documents to find a job.
She contacted the Department of Education and Science who referred her to the State Examinations Commission. The Commission advised her that is was not possible to have her Group Certificate and Leaving Certificate reissued in her new name.
The woman sought assistance from the Equality Authority to bring a complaint of discrimination on the gender ground against the Department of Education and Science and the State Examination Commission under the Equal Status Acts.
After a complaint was lodged, the Commission undertook a review of their practice in relation to reissuing certificates in light of the requirements of the Equal Status Acts.
As a result of this review, it indicated it would reissue the certificates in the legal name of the complainant. The transsexual today thanked the State Examinations Commission for its helpful and sensitive approach to the issue.
Mr Crowley said the complainant faced difficulties in seeking employment where her educational certificates neither reflected her name nor the gender with which she identifies.
"The case demonstrates the practical difficulties faced by transsexual people in the absence of legal recognition for them in the gender with which they identify," he added.
The Equality Authority believes legal recognition for transsexual people is one of the key issues to be addressed as part of European Year for Equal Opportunities for All. "The settlement of this case represents an important step towards this goal," Mr Crowley said.