Ireland Now Has Civil Partnerships

Ireland has now outstripped the USA - alleged land of liberty and freedom of religion - in terms of how it treats its LGBT citizens. Earlier in the week, Minister for Justice and Law Reform, Dermot Ahern has signed the commencement order which sees the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights of Cohabitants Act 2010 come into effect. This means that the first Civil Partnership ceremony will take place in early April, 2011. Ireland will also now recognize foreign same sex marriages and civil unions as civil partnerships under Irish law. Meanwhile in social/cultural backwaters such as Virginia - and many other U. S. states - sames sex relationships receive no legal recognition and the state constitution band any such recognitions. Indeed, as noted before, Virginia's display more concern over domestic pets than they do for living, breathing, tax paying same sex couples. All so that self-righteous and Pharisee like Christianist can feel morally superior and self-satisfied. Here are highlights from the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network press release:
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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 Minister is opening up a great and wide vista of futures, opportunities, celebrations and more secure futures for lesbian and gay couples”.
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Couples must give three months notice to the Civil Registrar before having a civil partnership ceremony. The Commencement orders mean that from the 1st of January 2010 same-sex couples will be able to apply to the Civil Registrar to enter into a Civil Partnership. The first Civil Partnership ceremonies are likely to occur in April.
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The Minister also signed orders which will automatically recognise a wide range of foreign same-sex civil marriages and same-sex civil partnerships as Irish civil partnerships. Same-sex couples who are already married or are civil partners through these recognised foreign relationships will be deemed civil partners in Ireland from early January.