Green Party proposes same-sex marriage and legal rights for couples who live together

Yoda

From The Green Party

Green Party proposes same-sex marriage and legal rights for couples who live together

Issued: 12 October 2006

The Green Party launched an innovative policy today calling for same-sex marriage, civil partnerships for both same-sex and heterosexual couples, and legal rights for couples who live together. The Party believes legislative changes are necessary to ensure equality for all, to offer protection for the contemporary family and to provide a legal framework in areas including taxation, inheritance and maintenance.

Launching the policy in Buswell’s Hotel, in Dublin today, Green Party Justice, Equality and Law Reform spokesperson Ciaran Cuffe TD said: “Marriage plays a vital role in our society, but many aspects of this institution have changed since our Constitution was adopted in 1937. The Green Party believes it is necessary to update legislation to provide for the contemporary times we live in.

“We believe that same-sex couples should have the opportunity to marry and we propose to introduce a bill that would make all terms connected to marriage in the Constitution gender neutral. The Irish Constitution already states that all citizens must be treated equally, and marriage itself is recognised as a human right by The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

“The Green Party also recognises that marriages aren’t always easy and would like to introduce a range of supports to help couples through difficult times. These include the development of ‘Family Centres’ staffed by experts who could provide wide-ranging pre-marriage courses, marriage counselling and in the event of marriage breakdown, work with couples and negotiate a settlement and avoid an acrimonious court struggles.”

Green Party election candidate for Dublin West Roderic O’Gorman said: “The Green Party recognises that not everybody is happy within the comparatively onerous constraints of a marriage and as such we are proposing the creation of a new category of civil partnerships. This will allow both same-sex and heterosexual couples to share a wide range of rights and responsibilities in areas including property, taxation, succession and medical issues.

“However, the fact that a civil partnership can be created and dissolved with greater ease than a marriage shows that it is different from that institution and, thus, avoids any suggestion that civil partnership could be an attack on marriage, which is forbidden in the Constitution.”

Green Party Women’s Affairs spokesperson Cllr. Bronwen Mahersaid: “In the past two decades Ireland has seen a great increase in the number of couples who choose to live together without getting married. Currently, these couples are offered no protection under the law. This has led to many hardships and difficult circumstances in situations where a partner dies or where the couple separates.

“The Green Party believes that protection should be put in place in areas such as pensions, social welfare, maintenance, and property and succession rights. This protection would apply when a couple have been living together for three years or more or if a couple have been living together and have a child. The social welfare code should also be changed to allow same-sex couples living together the same recognition as heterosexual couples.”

‘Valuing Families: A policy on Marriage and Partnership Rights’ is available for download at http://www.greenparty.ie/en/policies/marriage_and_partnership_rights

Shellie13

it'd be great...but then again can you ever see a green majority?!

Nevyn

So now that it looks like the court will make a ruling in favour of the couple they are jumping on the bandwagon and parroting the same policies Senator David Norris has in the bill he has been trying to push through.

Marvelous.

Talliesin

Hey, I won't knock them jumping on the bandwagon. A few more will jump on the bandwagon, and eventually we'll win.

the_syco

Thaedydal wrote:

So now that it looks like the court will make a ruling in favour of the couple they are jumping on the bandwagon and parroting the same policies Senator David Norris has in the bill he has been trying to push through.

Marvelous.

Seconded. Norris will go with it for the long haul. Does the Greens see this as long term, or something to get votes for the next election?

Vinnie69

the_syco wrote:

Seconded. Norris will go with it for the long haul. Does the Greens see this as long term, or something to get votes for the next election?

Here here, where werer they (all) years ago when David stuck his neck out for Us. Still anything is better than our old "friends" Youth Defence!! the moral guardians of Ireland!

Syth

the_syco wrote:

Seconded. Norris will go with it for the long haul. Does the Greens see this as long term, or something to get votes for the next election?

So what? Isn't this a good thing?

Goodshape

Agreed.

Maybe political naivety on my part, but what's wrong with having more people / parties supporting a good thing?

milod

Yeah the more people on this particular bandwagon the better - but just remember who's been fighting for it, David Norris, not the Greens. So if you want to vote green, do it because you support their environmental stance, not because you think they might be gay-friendly! BTW, you might want to consider their crackpot fiscal policies before you give them a majority though...

Vinnie69

milod wrote:

Yeah the more people on this particular bandwagon the better - but just remember who's been fighting for it, David Norris, not the Greens. So if you want to vote green, do it because you support their environmental stance, not because you think they might be gay-friendly! BTW, you might want to consider their crackpot fiscal policies before you give them a majority though...

I think that we all fear that the more people who sit on the wagon -- the more likely the wheels will fall off.. Too many so-called chefs etc., etc.;)

Yoda

Given the general moral cowardice of political parties (based in "offend as few as possible, attract many as possible), I suppose it's something the Greens would have always supported but only now feel it is safe to do.

As they are in the minority, this is no bad thing. The bad thing is the complacence of the people who DO have the power to change things and who do not, year after year after year..

milod

Yoda wrote:

Given the general moral cowardice of political parties (based in "offend as few as possible, attract many as possible), I suppose it's something the Greens would have always supported but only now feel it is safe to do.

Excellent point and hopefully the fact they think it's now safe indicates some some progress in public opinion...

Yoda wrote:

As they are in the minority, this is no bad thing. The bad thing is the complacence of the people who DO have the power to change things and who do not, year after year after year..

We all have a vote, but we seem to end up with the government we deserve. The reason is that the very people who complain bitterly about the status quo, and those who feel marginalised, tend not to vote (people under 25, gay, lesbian, etc etc).

Remember we only have about a 50% turnout which means that if the other 50% got off their arses, they actually could provoke a radical change in the make-up of the government...

Oogleman

One day it will happen!