September 25, 2009
August 10, 2009
TheRightCampaign Would Like To Thank
The many many people and organisations who have linked to the petition and helped spread the word, including:
Andrew Hyland of Platinum Public Relations
Thank you to everyone who signed the petition. Please continue to make your voice heard in any way you can.
Email An Taoiseach
Email The Department of Justice, Equality & Law Reform
August 4, 2009
Petition Now Closed
Dear Reader,
Phone: 01-6194020 / 4021 / 4043
Fax: 01-6764048
Thank you for your support for the duration of the petition. The petition has been delivered to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. Any response from the government will be posted here, on the blog.
So, what now?
To reinforce the message of this petition, and your comments and opinions to the Dept. of Justice, Equality and Law Reform:
Dáil Office
Dermot Ahern TD
Dáil Éireann
Leinster House
Kildare Street
Dublin 2
01 618 3000
Email
dermot@dermotahern.ie
Or, contact:
TAOISEACH'S PRIVATE OFFICE
e-mail:taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.iePhone: 01-6194020 / 4021 / 4043
Fax: 01-6764048
July 28, 2009
Response From Dept. of Justice, Equality & Law Reform
Following the publication of the Civil Partnership Bill 2009, we wrote to the Dept. of Justice, Equality and Law Reform with our opinion, here is the response we received:
"I am directed by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform Mr
Dermot Ahern T.D. to refer to your e-mail dated 29 June 2009, regarding the
Civil Partnership Bill.
The Civil Partnership Bill which was published last week will give same-sex
couples who choose to register in a civil partnership an extensive range of
rights and obligations, including in relation to succession, shared home,
immigration and financial matters.
The Bill provides very significant rights to civil partners which raises
complex legal issues in the context of the special protection which the
Constitution guarantees to marriage and in relation to the equality rights
protected by Article 40.1 of the Constitution. The Bill has been carefully
framed to balance any potential conflict between these two constitutionally
guaranteed rights. This balance is achieved by maintaining material
distinctions between civil partnership and marriage, in particular between
the rights attaching to both, while at the same time reflecting the
equality rights protected by the Constitution.
Yours sincerely
NAME REMOVED
___________________
Private Secretary
..............................................................................
To contact with Minister Dermot Ahern's office, and give your opinion of the Civil Partnership Bill or the issue of same-sex civil marriage, use the contact details shown here:
Constituency Office
Dermot Ahern TD
28 Francis Street
Dundalk
Co. Louth
042 9329023
Dáil Office
Dermot Ahern TD
Dáil Éireann
Leinster House
Kildare Street
Dublin 2
01 618 3000
Email
dermot@dermotahern.ie
info@justice.ie
To contact An Taoiseach Brian Cowen, you can do so using the following contact information:
TAOISEACH'S PRIVATE OFFICE
e-mail:taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.iePhone: 01-6194020 / 4021 / 4043
Fax: 01-6764048
July 17, 2009
Please Read
Dear reader,
The close of TheRightCampaign Petition is fast approaching and as such, we want to make these last few weeks really count.
Please help to get the word out in any way possible - by emailing all your friends reminding them to sign and spread the word, by texting friends and via social networking sites etc.
THANK YOU.
June 29, 2009
Children & The Civil Partnership Bill 2009
Amnesty International has criticised the Government's Civil Partnership Bill, saying it will create issues for children being cared for by same-sex couples. The human rights group said the bill will create a children's rights issue as it does not provide any measures to advance the rights and security of children living with gay parents.Colm O'Gorman, director of Amnesty International in Ireland, said the bill completely ignores the needs of those children.
-www.examiner.ie on June 28 2009
Of the Irish public, 84% believe that children raised by same-sex parents deserve the same rights and protections as children being raised by opposite-sex couples.
The Civil Partnership Bill does not allow for fair and equal treatment of all children, in fact, it completely undermines it. There are no provisions in the bill for guardianship or custody. Nor is there a provision for child maintenance payments from a non-biological parent, as there is in the case of marriage.
Also, under the new bill same-sex couples will still be unable to jointly adopt. Nor can one partner legally adopt the biological child of the other partner.
Currently, a single person may adopt, regardless of their sexuality and a same-sex couple can foster children. So the government are obviously aware of the research and professional opinion of those involved in childcare, that sexual orientation does not impair the ability to be a caring and loving parent in any way.
And yet, despite this, same-sex couples cannot jointly adopt. This is not in the best interest of the child. A child who is the biological or adopted child of one partner, can be left in extremely unfair circumstances if that partner, the 'legal' parent, dies or leaves the relationship.
The state has a duty to protect children and that duty has not been fulfilled. This legislative 'gap' is not only an issue for LGBT rights groups and interested parties, this is an issue that should deeply concern us all.
-www.examiner.ie on June 28 2009
Of the Irish public, 84% believe that children raised by same-sex parents deserve the same rights and protections as children being raised by opposite-sex couples.
The Civil Partnership Bill does not allow for fair and equal treatment of all children, in fact, it completely undermines it. There are no provisions in the bill for guardianship or custody. Nor is there a provision for child maintenance payments from a non-biological parent, as there is in the case of marriage.
Also, under the new bill same-sex couples will still be unable to jointly adopt. Nor can one partner legally adopt the biological child of the other partner.
Currently, a single person may adopt, regardless of their sexuality and a same-sex couple can foster children. So the government are obviously aware of the research and professional opinion of those involved in childcare, that sexual orientation does not impair the ability to be a caring and loving parent in any way.
And yet, despite this, same-sex couples cannot jointly adopt. This is not in the best interest of the child. A child who is the biological or adopted child of one partner, can be left in extremely unfair circumstances if that partner, the 'legal' parent, dies or leaves the relationship.
The state has a duty to protect children and that duty has not been fulfilled. This legislative 'gap' is not only an issue for LGBT rights groups and interested parties, this is an issue that should deeply concern us all.
June 27, 2009
Civil Partnership Bill Released
The Director of Amnesty in Ireland has said the Government's Civil Partnership Bill further enshrines discrimination against gay people into Irish law.
- www.rte.ie 28 June 2009
(Contact info for The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform & The Taoiseach below)
As you may know, the Civil Partnership Bill was released Fri 26 June 2009. You can download a copy of the bill and the Explanatory Memorandum in the Downloads section.
TheRightCampaign Petition for the right to civil marriage for same-sex couples, will continue to run, as we are not in favour of this legislation.
While this Bill could be viewed as a step in the right direction, particularly where Next-of-Kin issues arise, it does not go far enough to grant full equality. Minister Dermot Ahern himself, has been quoted as saying it is NOT a stepping stone toward marriage. Speaking about the Civil Partnership Bill, The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform also said:
"The Bill has been carefully framed to balance any potential conflict between these two constitutionally guaranteed rights." Minister Ahern continued, "This balance has been achieved by maintaining material distinctions between Civil Partnership and Marriage, in particular between the rights attaching to both, while at the same time reflecting the equality rights protected by the Constitution."
No amount of 'Politician Speak' can obscure the Ministers own admission that Civil Marriage and Civil Partnership ARE different and unequal.
If you'd like to get in touch with the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and tell them what you think, you can do so using the following contact details:
Phone: + 353 1 602-8202
Lo-Call: 1890 221-227
Fax: + 353 1 661-5461
Website: www.justice.ie
E-mail: dermot@dermotahern.ie or info@justice.ie
Alternatively, you can contact the Taoiseach's Office directly, by using one of the following methods of contact:
E-mail: taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie
Phone: 01-6194020 / 4021 / 4043
Fax: 01-6764048
- www.rte.ie 28 June 2009
(Contact info for The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform & The Taoiseach below)
As you may know, the Civil Partnership Bill was released Fri 26 June 2009. You can download a copy of the bill and the Explanatory Memorandum in the Downloads section.
TheRightCampaign Petition for the right to civil marriage for same-sex couples, will continue to run, as we are not in favour of this legislation.
While this Bill could be viewed as a step in the right direction, particularly where Next-of-Kin issues arise, it does not go far enough to grant full equality. Minister Dermot Ahern himself, has been quoted as saying it is NOT a stepping stone toward marriage. Speaking about the Civil Partnership Bill, The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform also said:
"The Bill has been carefully framed to balance any potential conflict between these two constitutionally guaranteed rights." Minister Ahern continued, "This balance has been achieved by maintaining material distinctions between Civil Partnership and Marriage, in particular between the rights attaching to both, while at the same time reflecting the equality rights protected by the Constitution."
No amount of 'Politician Speak' can obscure the Ministers own admission that Civil Marriage and Civil Partnership ARE different and unequal.
If you'd like to get in touch with the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and tell them what you think, you can do so using the following contact details:
Phone: + 353 1 602-8202
Lo-Call: 1890 221-227
Fax: + 353 1 661-5461
Website: www.justice.ie
E-mail: dermot@dermotahern.ie or info@justice.ie
Alternatively, you can contact the Taoiseach's Office directly, by using one of the following methods of contact:
E-mail: taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie
Phone: 01-6194020 / 4021 / 4043
Fax: 01-6764048
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