Children and Family Relationships Act 2015

The Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 (Act No. 9 of 2015, bill no. 14 of 2015) amended family law in Ireland to extend parental rights and responsibilities to non-traditional families. It simplifies adoption rights for the spouse or civil partner of a biological parent, and for a long-term domestic partner. It also addresses donor-assisted reproduction (sperm donation and egg donation).

Background

Official reports related to the subject of the bill include the 2005 report of the Commission on Assisted Human Reproduction,[1] and the 2010 report of the Law Reform Commission, which included a draft "children and parental responsibility bill".[2] The Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010 provided for same-sex civil partnerships, and for shared rights within non-marital relationships, without addressing the issue of children within those relationships. The government elected in 2011 introduced the Thirty-first Amendment of the Constitution, relating to children's rights, which was approved at referendum in 2012 but not signed into law until 28 April 2015 because of a legal challenge to the conduct of the referendum.

Legislature

The general scheme of the Children and Family Relationships Bill was published for consultation in January 2014 by Alan Shatter, the then Minister for Justice and Equality,[3] and discussed by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality in April 2014.[4] The bill was introduced in Dáil Éireann on 17 February 2015 by Shatter's successor as minister, Frances Fitzgerald. The government had planned to have the bill enacted before the same-sex marriage referendum in May 2015, so that the issue of adoption by same-sex couples would not be used by opponents of same-sex marriage in the referendum campaign.[5] Fitzgerald distinguished the family bill from the amendment bill at a seminar organised by the Children’s Rights Alliance.[6] The bill was approved by the Dáil on 12 March.[7] It passed the Seanad on 30 March, in a 20-2 vote and was signed into law by President Michael D Higgins on 6 April 2015.[8][9][10] All provisions of the act will not likely come into legal effect until May 2016.[11]

Senator Jim Walsh resigned from the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party over its support for the bill.[12]

Public opinion

An opinion poll published in March 2015 indicated strong public support for some of the central provisions of the Bill, namely adoption rights for same-sex and cohabiting couples. Support in both cases was measured at over 70%[13]

References

Sources

Citations

  1. ↑ Commission on Assisted Human Reproduction (April 2005). "Report" (PDF). Lenus. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  2. ↑ "Legal Aspects of Family Relationships" (PDF). Law Reform Commission Reports. LRC 101-2010. December 2010. ISSN 1393-3132. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  3. ↑ "Minister Shatter publishes General Scheme of Children and Family Relationships Bill for consultation". Press releases. Department of Justice and Equality. 30 January 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  4. ↑ Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality (9 April 2014). "General Scheme of Children and Family Relationships Bill 2014: Discussion". Proceedings. Oireachtas. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  5. ↑ Collins, Stephen (21 January 2015). "Gay adoption law due before same-sex marriage referendum". The Irish Times. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  6. ↑ "Fitzgerald: Family Relationships Bill not linked to gay marriage referendum". Irish Examiner. 2 March 2015. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
    Fitzgerald, Frances (2 March 2015). "Address by the minister" (PDF). Seminar on the Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015. Children’s Rights Alliance. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  7. ↑ Children and Family Relationships Bill passes all stages in the Dáil
  8. ↑ Children and Family Relationship Bill passed in Seanad
  9. ↑ Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages
  10. ↑ 2015 Legislation
  11. ↑ Ruadhán Mac Cormaic (20 May 2015). "State to introduce parts of Children and Family Relationships Act". Irish Times.
  12. ↑ Niall, O'Connor; John Downing (26 March 2015). "Fianna Fáil senator Jim Walsh resigns from party over his opposition to Children and Family Relationship Bill -". Irish Independent. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  13. ↑ Family Values: 54% would be willing to help a relative die

External links

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