Search results for: marriage equality

By Harry McGee.  Legislation giving effect to civil partnerships passed all stages in the Seanad by 48 to four votes tonight.The first civil registrations for same-sex couples are likely to take place next January following overwhelming approval of the enabling legislation by the Oireachtas tonight.The…

“This will be a good year for very many same-sex couples who will now be able to have formal recognition, protection and support for their relationships” said Kieran Rose, Chair of GLEN. Under the Civil Partnership Bill and Certain Rights of Cohabitants Act 2010, which…

By the end of September, 862 Civil Partnerships had already taken place. That's an average of two civil partnerships every day since they first became publicly available in April 2011. So, where are there most lesbian and gay civil partners across the country? Dublin 8…

By Pamela DuncanAn 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…

By PAMELA DUNCANWHEN BARRY Dignam and Hugh Walsh first met almost 20 years ago, homosexuality was still illegal; neither man envisaged then a time where their relationship would be legally recognised by the Irish State.Yet today, 17 years after they started going out, they will…

The Minister for Justice and Law Reform Dermot Ahern TD today signed the Commencement Orders for the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights of Cohabitants Act 2010. Speaking at the signing of the Commencement Orders, Kieran Rose, chair of GLEN said that “with this signing, the…

By Fionnan Sheahan.  Same-sex couples will be able to avail of legally-binding civil partnerships for the first time from next year.The Dáil last night completed its work on the Civil Partnership Bill, which is expected to be signed into law in the autumn.The Bill passed…

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="250"] Michael Murphy (left) and Terry O'Sullivan celebrate their civil partnership. Photo: Irish Independent[/caption] Until 1994, Irish law still criminalized homosexual conduct. When The Atlantic Philanthropies entered the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) field in 2004, there were no other significant private funders in the…

by CAROL COULTER, Legal Affairs Editor Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton will publish legislation in the next year to provide for recognition of the acquired gender of transgender people. Ms Burton announced her plan when she published the report of an inter-departmental Gender Recognition…

By Noel Whelan.  Extraordinary patience has finally paid off and constitutional change will one day follow. The overwhelming parliamentary support witnessed again this week for the legalisation of same sex civil partnerships arises from the basic decency and generosity of the Irish people. Politicians across…