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LESBIAN and gay people are currently not entitled to marry in Ireland, nor are there any alternative forms of legal recognition such as civil partnership. Lobby groups are seeking legislative change to this on equality grounds, including equal access to marriage, equality in legal recognition of de facto relationships, and equality in other proposed models of legal recognition such as civil partnership.
Over the past year, developments on these issues have included:
>> the establishment by Justice Minister Michael McDowell of a working group on domestic partnership, on which GLEN is represented;
>> an amendment to the Parental Leave Act which extends force majeure leave to employees in relationships of 'domestic dependence', including same sex couples;
>> the inclusion of issues relating to same-sex couples in the Department of Justice's discussion document Immigration and Residence in Ireland, in advance of the forthcoming Immigration and Residence Bill.
Regarding adoption, the current legal situation is that married couples can adopt, and single persons can adopt irrespective of their sexual orientation, but unmarried couples (including same-sex couples) cannot adopt, although they can foster children.
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YOU ARE HERE: 19 March 2007 / tribune.ie / 2006 / 10 / 22
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