Minster for Justice and Equality, Alan
Shatter TD,has outlined comprehensive family law reforms he intends to
implement that will provide for children being parented by lesbian or
gay couples.Addressing the Fine Gael LGBT group, Minister Shatter committed to bring forward new legislation to secure ‘equal citizenship for lesbian and gay parents and the best interests of their children’.
Welcoming the Minister’s commitments, Kieran Rose, GLEN Chair said, “This is great news for lesbian and gay couples who are parenting children. One of the most urgent issues for these parents is the lack of legal certainty for their families and the lack of protection and security for their children. The reforms the Minister outlined this evening will transform the status of these families, and secure for their children the range of protections and supports available to children in other families.”
The Minister announced that he will bring in a comprehensive Family Relationships and Children Bill, to be enacted by the end of 2013, which will provide for relationships of guardianship, custody and access for children in lesbian and gay headed families.
The proposed Bill will provide financial security for children in these families by addressing maintenance and inheritance rights, and will address the issues of assisted human reproduction.
Marriage
The Minister also affirmed that the destination for the struggle of LGBT people against discrimination is ‘equal citizenship, pure and simple’.
“In acknowledging that that the aspiration for marriage is a ‘core aspiration’ for lesbian and gay couples. Minster Shatter gave voice to the wishes of lesbian and gay people that their relationships will be treated equally under the Constitution” said Rose.
Other Reforms
In a wide ranging speech, the Minister outlined the changes he intends to make to the Employment Equality Act to ensure that LGBT teachers cannot be discriminated against solely on the grounds of their sexual orientation or gender identity in their employment in schools.
Section 37.1 of that Act has acted as a ‘chill factor’ for many LGBT teachers.
The Minster also addressed measures which Ireland will undertake on LGBT equality in Europe and further afield during the EU Presidency next year and through our membership of the UN Human Rights Council.