The Irish Parliament will this week debate a Labour Party Private Members Bill designed to give full legal recognition to same sex unions – called the Civil Unions Bill. The Bill will create a status relationship equivalent to marriage for the benefit of people who are of the same sex and who, under the current constitutional understanding of marriage, cannot marry each other. It provides that, in most respects, the rules of law applying to marriage will also apply to civil unions. The Labour Party Spokesperson on Justice, Deputy Brendan Howlin, said that the Bill represented a very significant step towards the provision of full equality for gay and lesbian citizens and particular for those in same sex relationships. "In many respects the tabling of this Bill marks a significant watershed in our legislative and social history. This week will mark the first time that the Dail (the lower house of the Parliament of Ireland) has been given the opportunity to consider legislation providing for the recognition and registration of civil unions entered into between persons of the same sex. "I believe that the time for consultation is over and the time for decision making is approaching,” Howlin continued. “I am also confident that Irish society has matured and attitudes changed sufficiently to the point where the majority of Irish people would now have no problem with legislation that would provide same-sex couples with same rights and duties that are generally available to married couples.” Ref: Irish Labour Party Press Statement (m)
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Monday, 19th February 2007 - 12:00pm