On Jan. 1 Ireland’s Civil Partnership Act takes effect and “dozens” of gay couples are “making plans” to file paperwork, but the first civil partnerships won’t take place until at least April, after a mandatory three-month waiting period after couples register. (Well, unless a couple files an appeal for an “urgent” union.) Civil partnerships, approved with President Mary McAleese’s signature in July, will carry nearly identical rights and privileges as marriage, and foreigners from countries were civil unions and same-sex marriage is on par with Ireland’s new law will be legally recognized there. To move beyond civil partnerships, lawmakers would have to amend Ireland’s constitution to permit marriage.
Steven Staples
God bless ye Ireland for coming to your wee senses.
SteveC
“To move beyond civil partnerships, lawmakers would have to amend Ireland’s constitution to permit marriage.”
That is not correct.
That’s the excuse used by the Irish government to deny marriage equality.
There are legal experts who believe there is no constitutional impediment to marriage equality.
In either case it is not for the government or its advisers to decide what is constitutional. It is for the Supreme Court to decide.
An Irish-Canadian lesbian couple have sued to have their Canadian marriage recognised as such in Ireland. The outcome of that case is still pending.
Max Campbell
Congratulations to Irish guys!=)
VinnieB
Despite being Religiously conservative with some of its laws such as outlawing abortions in the mostly catholic nation- Ireland even before this seemed very tolerant, I spent a summer there, and during my trip met a few of the local drag queens, one day I ran into them at a local pub not designated necessarily as a gay pub, I asked them what they were up to, and the eldest one decked out in a white and pink floral sun dress and straw hat said “well the ladies and I like to go out for a pub crawl once a month to stretch our legs” So yes, even though Marriage would be the equal solution, I applaud Ireland for being so socially accepting, and taking a step in the right direction 🙂
Kieran
Bisexuality among the ancient Celts was reportedly widespread, carried no social stigma, and was certainly not considered “sinful”. If you were sexually attracted to someone in the tribe it was considered okay to have sex with that person regardless of gender.