Two Civil Partnership Ceremonies Conducted on Average Each Day

By Pamela Duncan

An average of two civil partnership ceremonies have taken place per day since their introduction last year, with a total of 862 ceremonies registered between April 2011 and September 2012.

In that time period, 1,724 lesbian and gay people from 61 countries entered into civil partnerships. The majority, or 1,334 people, were Irish.

More than half of couples who have obtained civil partnerships live in Dublin city or county, with 457 of the couples resident there.

Dublin 8 holds the highest share of civil partnerships with 60 such couples resident in that area. Of those couples who entered into civil partnerships, 528 couples were male and 334 female.

More than 1,000 of the individuals who took part in civil partnerships were aged between 31 and 50. Fourteen were aged over 70 and 11 were between 18 and 20 years of age.

Gay and Lesbian Equality Network chair Kieran Rose said the statistics showed civil partnership had been a “resounding success”.

He added that the figures did not take into account those who entered a civil partnership or civil marriage abroad whose status is automatically recognised in Ireland. He reiterated the organisation’s call for the introduction of civil marriage “as the next step for lesbian and gay couples”.

“These couples are the pioneers who are transforming the perception of lesbian and gay relationships all across the country,” he said.

Civil partners have the same rights and obligations as opposite-sex married couples in an extensive range of areas including tax, inheritance, next of kin, social welfare, immigration and pensions, and have the same employment and equality protection as married couples.

Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN) is an Atlantic grantee.