All Polite & Civil
This Tuesday the 19th of July 2010,
Mary McAleese ~ the President of Ireland,
signed the Civil Partnership Bill into state law for same-sex couples.
Speaking afterwards at the Áras an Uachtaráin:
"This is a great day for Ireland.
Lesbian and gay people, their parents,
families, friends, neighbours & colleagues
can now look forward to celebrating their civil partnerships in the near future,
It is a tribute to the openness and welcoming nature of Irish society
and the commitment of all our legislators
and is a major civil rights milestone for lesbian and gay people."
The Bill delivers a comprehensive set of protections,
rights and obligations for same-sex couples across a wide range of areas
including home protections, pensions, taxation, maintenance, next of kin,
the recognition of external civil unions,
social welfare, domestic violence, inheritance,
enduring power of attorney and the creation of joint tenancies.
It makes no provisions for the children of same-sex couples or for adoption rights.
The Bill was passed without a vote at Dáil Éireann
and with applause and an overwhelming majority within the Seanad at the beginning of July.
So this is the first day of the rest of your lives,
one nation within togetherness...
for some it is enough and all is well.
others like myself see this as just the beginning.
AN BILLE UM PAIRTNEIREACHT SHIBHIALTA 2009
CIVIL PARTNERSHIP BILL 2009 http://bit.ly/bSOEkO
Mary McAleese ~ the President of Ireland,
signed the Civil Partnership Bill into state law for same-sex couples.
Speaking afterwards at the Áras an Uachtaráin:
"This is a great day for Ireland.
Lesbian and gay people, their parents,
families, friends, neighbours & colleagues
can now look forward to celebrating their civil partnerships in the near future,
It is a tribute to the openness and welcoming nature of Irish society
and the commitment of all our legislators
and is a major civil rights milestone for lesbian and gay people."
The Bill delivers a comprehensive set of protections,
rights and obligations for same-sex couples across a wide range of areas
including home protections, pensions, taxation, maintenance, next of kin,
the recognition of external civil unions,
social welfare, domestic violence, inheritance,
enduring power of attorney and the creation of joint tenancies.
It makes no provisions for the children of same-sex couples or for adoption rights.
The Bill was passed without a vote at Dáil Éireann
and with applause and an overwhelming majority within the Seanad at the beginning of July.
So this is the first day of the rest of your lives,
one nation within togetherness...
for some it is enough and all is well.
others like myself see this as just the beginning.
AN BILLE UM PAIRTNEIREACHT SHIBHIALTA 2009
CIVIL PARTNERSHIP BILL 2009 http://bit.ly/bSOEkO