Ireland Passes Civil Partnership Law

News just in from Dublin, Ireland Gets same sex civil partnership!

The legislative measure recognizing the civil partnership of same-sex couples passed all stages in the Dáil (the lower and main house in the Irish Parliament) in Dublin on Friday night without a vote. The Irish minister for justice, Dermot Ahern said the Civil Partnership Bill would put in place a law that reflected the way Irish society has changed in recent times. “Our society has change substantially in recent decades,’’ he said. “While marriage is more popular than ever, other forms of relationships have become increasingly common; they create some difficulties in the legal system and require in our law a measure of recognition and of protection.”

TD Mattie McGrath spoke against the Bill, claiming it had consequences for over 120,000 cohabiting couples who would find themselves in a legal web not of their own making. There was also a small protest outside Leinster House in Dublin from religious groups and campaigners who are set against the legislation. However, inside it was a different story, when the debate was concluded, there was applause from people in the public gallery.

The Bill was approved, just over a month ago by the Dáil’s Select Committee on Justice, Equality, Defense and Women’s Rights. And the main purpose of the new Bill is to establish an extensive package of rights, obligations and protections for gay and lesbian couples who register as civil partners. All parties in the Oireachtas – the Irish parliament – formally supported the legislation, although obviously there are some individual TDs and Senators who don’t like the bill. But the bill will become law during the autumn.

The Irish Council of Civil Liberties applauded the bill’s passage, director Mark Kelly said this Bill would offer a ’solid foundation’ for the recognition and protection of same-sex relationships which were previously denied to them. However, he described the legislation as ‘only a stepping stone on the path to full equality for same-sex couples’ and calling for full civil marriage rights to be extended to gay couples. He urged the parliament to ‘fully embrace’ the principles that underpin the Bill and to ‘urgently work’ towards ‘opening up civil marriage for all’.

The Gay and Lesbian Equality Network also welcomed the progress of the Bill saying it was a ‘ historic advance’ and great move towards full equality.

This is great news, a step in the right direction towards equality for Ireland’s GLBT community.

Jason Shaw

gayagenda.com’s UK correspondent.