yl um ▁in ▁Ireland ▁due ▁to ▁per sec ution ▁because ▁of ▁their ▁sexual ▁orientation . ▁In ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁the ▁group ▁was ▁pra ised ▁by ▁the ▁Head ▁of ▁Office ▁of ▁the ▁UN ▁High ▁Commission ▁for ▁Ref uge es ▁in ▁Ireland ▁for ▁its ▁work ▁with ▁L GB T ▁refuge es ▁and ▁was ▁described ▁as ▁a ▁" global ▁model ▁for ▁best ▁practice ". ▁ ▁History ▁Be L on G ▁To ▁has ▁its ▁orig ins ▁in ▁an ▁earlier ▁Dublin - based ▁youth ▁group ▁called ▁Out Y outh , ▁which ▁was ▁run ▁by ▁youth ▁volunte ers ▁in ▁conj unction ▁with ▁the ▁Gay ▁Switch board ▁Dublin . ▁Due ▁to ▁the ▁volunt ary ▁nature ▁of ▁the ▁group ▁its ▁operation ▁was ▁sometimes ▁sp or adic . ▁In ▁the ▁final ▁years ▁of ▁Out Y outh , ▁the ▁group ▁met ▁with ▁other ▁L GB T ▁organis ations ▁in ▁Dublin ▁and ▁the ▁City ▁of ▁Dublin ▁Youth ▁Services ▁Board ▁to ▁seek ▁fund ing ▁for ▁a ▁new ▁youth ▁service ▁project . ▁The ▁project ▁secured ▁fund ing ▁from ▁the ▁Irish ▁Department ▁of ▁Education ▁and ▁Be L on G ▁To ▁was ▁formed ▁in ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁ ▁Gr oups ▁Dublin ▁Be L on G ▁To ▁Sunday ▁for ▁ 1 4 - ▁to ▁ 1 7 - year - olds . ▁Me ets ▁ 3 pm ▁every ▁second ▁ ▁Sunday , ▁apart ▁from ▁bank ▁hol iday ▁week ends . ▁Ind ividual i Ty ▁for ▁ 1 4 ▁to ▁ 2 3 - year - olds ▁who ▁are ▁Trans ▁identified ▁or