The Irish Human Rights Commission (IHRC) today welcomed the forthcoming Oireachtas debate on the Civil Partnership Bill 2009.
The IHRC highlighted the issues raised by the proposed legislation in its Discussion Document on the Scheme of the Bill, which it published in December 2008. The IHRC examined the Scheme of the Bill following a referral in summer 2008 to the IHRC by the Department of Justice Equality and Law Reform.
Dr Maurice Manning, President of the IHRC stated, “The IHRC is today highlighting its Discussion Document in view of the second stage Oireachtas consideration of the Bill. The IHRC’s intention in so doing is to draw attention for Oireachtas members and the wider public to some of the key human rights questions arising in relation to the proposed civil partnership legislation.”
Dr Manning continued, “The IHRC has also conducted a preliminary review of the 2009 Bill when compared against the Scheme of the Civil Partnership Bill 2008. The 2009 Bill does not appear to address several issues considered in the IHRC’s Discussion Document. These issues include equivalency of rights protection under the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement; same sex relationships and marriage; same sex couples and the family; the law of adoption and same sex couples and the rights of transgendered persons.”
Éamonn Mac Aodha, Chief Executive of the IHRC said, “The IHRC Discussion Document comprehensively discusses these issues and is intended as a comment on the issues that arose or were not included in the 2008 Scheme. The IHRC will give further consideration in the coming weeks to these matters in the light of the Bill, and looks forward to the upcoming Oireachtas discussion which has such important human rights implications for a significant section of Irish society.”
ENDS/
For further information please contact:
Fidelma Joyce, IHRC
Tel: 01 8589601, Mob: 087 7834939
Notes to the Editor:
The IHRC Discussion Document on the Scheme of the Civil Partnership Bill 2008, is available at
www.ihrc.ie/documents/documents.asp?NCID=5&L=1