Transgender people can now officially apply for a certificate to recognise their acquired gender as Ireland's new laws on gender recognition take full effect today.

The Commencement Order for the Gender Recognition Act 2015 will allow people to apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate, and subsequently obtain a new birth certificate from today.

The form can be downloaded here. 

Broden Giambrone of the Transgender Equality Network of Ireland (TENI) has paid tribute to the campaigners who made the law a reality:

TENI says Ireland is now a global leader in trans rights and is one of just five countries in the world that has legislation based on self-determination - meaning there is no requirement for medical experts, medical treatments or diagnosis of a mental disorder in order for individuals who are 18 years of age or older to be legally recognised.

Dr Lydia Foy, who fought a lengthy court case to have her new gender recognised, says it's a historic day:

"Self-determination is critical to trans people and we must be able to affirm our own identities and have our rights vindicated," Mr Giambrone added.

"As a trans person, I believe this legislation marks an incredible shift in Irish society and that it will go a long way in protecting and honouring trans identities."

Transgender Dubliner Philippa Ryder is one of those people who will be getting her new birth cert. She told Newstalk Breakfast yesterday that these new laws are the final step in her journey. 

"In a lot of ways, a new birth cert to me will purely be a symbolic piece of paper - it will mean an awful lot to me" she said. 

"For me it's important, but only personally but for the community and for the younger trans people - and there are many, many, many younger trans people - it will mean a huge amount".

"When they go out looking for a job or when they want to go into university, anything that requires the production of a birth certificate; if the birth certificate doesn't match the gender in which they're appearing as, it means that immediately they're outed".

"This act...means a huge amount to the trans community".

Philippa Ryder (right) and her daughter Jenny (left) | Image: Jack Quann

Her daughter Jenny Ryder says she never thought there was anything different about her family - until she got older.

"As I hit about eight or nine, I remember particularly in fifth class, I went through this period of realising that my dad was different to other dads".

"I went through this real fear cause I didn't understand what it was because nobody really talked about it."