The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) has given a qualified welcome to the decision of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to publish the Heads of a Civil Partnership Bill.
Speaking shortly after the Scheme was released, ICCL Director Mark Kelly said:
“The ICCL welcomes this clear signal that the Minister for Justice remains committed to ending discrimination against same sex couples. At first reading, the published scheme appears to provide same-sex couples with equivalent rights to marriage in many areas.
“However, in the ICCL’s view, this is more of a staging post than a milestone. As the Government-commissioned Colley Report found, only the introduction of civil marriage for same sex couples will achieve full equality of status with opposite sex couples,” he added.
“The Irish Council for Civil Liberties will respond positively to the Minister’s request to examine the Scheme in detail, and to submit its views to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform,” Mr Kelly concluded.