New legal rights for gay couples
But bill doesn't go far enough, say campaigners
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Saturday June 27 2009
NEW legislation allowing civil partnership for gay couples will be introduced in the autumn and passed into law by Christmas.
The development could allow for so-called 'confetti ceremonies', where partners register their union, from the New Year.
A speedy passage through the Dail was pledged by the Green Party, which pushed for the publication of the Civil Partnership Bill by Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern yesterday.
Greens' leader John Gormley visited the headquarters of the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN) in Dublin and pronounced the move a "beautiful day for Irish society".
The bill provides for extensive rights and responsibilities for same-sex couples in areas such as succession, maintenance, protection of their shared home, tenancy rights, immigration, pensions and taxation.
The new bill also contains a separate scheme for same-sex and heterosexual couples who are living in long-term committed relationships.
These couples, who must have lived together for three years, will be regarded as "qualified cohabitants" by the courts and not have to register their relationships.
But in the event of a relationship breakdown, a qualified cohabitant may, after two years, apply to a court under a dedicated redress scheme that will allow a judge to consider for a range of orders including property adjustment, maintenance and pensions.
But while GLEN welcomed the "historic" reforms, it expressed disappointment that the issue of children being raised by adoptive same-sex couples had not been addressed.
And a splinter group, MarriagEquality, protested that the measure still fell short of full marriage rights and would leave gays and lesbians continuing to be treated as second-class citizens.
"This is a major civil rights reform that will resolve many immediate and pressing issues faced by lesbian and gay couples," said Kieran Rose, chairman of GLEN. He said the Government was to be congratulated.
Society
Mr Gormley said the legislation was a great achievement for Irish society and he looked forward to it being enacted "before the end of the year", although it may only take force from January 1, 2010.
"We pursued it vigorously in the Programme for Government," he added.
Mr Gormley said that the question of a possible constitutional referendum on full marriage equality would have to await the outcome of Katherine Zappone and Ann Louise Gilligan's appeal to the Supreme Court of the High Court's decision not to recognise their marriage.
The bill could result in thousands of officially registered partnerships, said Mr Rose.
"All political parties have played a role in getting us to this point and there is huge public support for change," he added.
Editorial comment
- Senan Molony Deputy Political Editor
