Civil Partnership Bill 2009 – Dáil Debate
Tags: bisexual, civil partnership, Civil Partnership Bill, gay, lesbian, marriage equality, Renew, same-sex relationships, Transgender The Dáil (Ireland’s lower house of parliament) is to debate the second stage of the Civil Partnership Bill 2009 today, Thursday, 3rd December 2009 at 6:45pm.
As you may recall, the Bill was published the day before the Dublin Pride march in June of this year, by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. A couple of weeks ago, our own Orange flagged the mention by Taoiseach Brian Cowen that the Bill would be debated, “Hopefully, in the first week of December.”
And so it has come to pass.
Critics of the Bill say, on the one hand, that it does not go far enough to provide for the immediate needs of same-sex couples and families, and for those who do not wish to marry: for example, there is nothing in the Bill dealing with tax, social welfare matters, or children. On the other hand, in relation to marriage equality, Dermot Ahern said in June, that Civil Partnerships “are not a stepping stone to gay marriage.” So, that battle continues.
To tune in:
- LGBT Noise has organised a Flash Demo to take place tonight from 6pm, outside the gates of Dáil Éireann while the debate is ongoing.
- If you can’t get yourself to the Noise protest, a Live Blog has been set up by MamanPoulet, here, to which I’ll also be adding my tuppence-worth. Our own tabula rasa will be in the Dáil public gallery, and hopes to add her Tweets to the Live Blog, too. The Live Blog is accessible for anyone to comment directly, or else automatically via Twitter when you include the hashtag “#cpbill“.
- The debate will be streamed live on the Oireachtas website here. A stream has also been embedded to MamanPoulet’s Live Blog to allow readers follow the debate. I’ll add any further links to live streams as they may be added to other blogs or websites.
Most previous posts on the topic of civil partnership and of marriage equality can be found here.
Update – Blogs to watch include:
MamanPoulet
Human Rights in Ireland
IrishElection
Will try to update these later (day-job may cause delays..!).
Upddate 2
For anyone who’s watching at home, RTÉ will also be streaming the Dáil debate live here from 6:45pm.
Update 3 – 6:40pm
Gaelick’s orange is at the LGBT Noise demo outside the Dáil. Can’t take pics, unfortunately, due to darkness; but about 100 people are there so far, braving the cold. David Norris is speaking, opposing the Bill and speaking about Uganda.
Update to that update: Later estimates via Twitter were that about 500 people were at the Noise demo. Well done, everyone!
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Okay. I have:
- TV on
- Twitter, plus separate tab open for Twitter “#cpbill” messages
- The LiveBLog
- 3 radio stations
- Mobile phone messages running to and fro.
As well as dinner being cooked in the background.
I think I need help..
So, the debate started out with Minister for Justice, Dermot Ahern, basically reading a script which summarises each part of the Bill.
Boring. And sounded like someone was pointing a gun at his back, forcing him to utter the words. (Let’s not forget: http://www.mamanpoulet.com/dermot-ahern-and-same-sex-families/)
Second to speak was Fine Gael’s Charlie Flanagan who was surprisingly enlightened! Talk was about the Bill being a step towards marriage for same-sex couples; secularism not being a dirty word.
Howlin (Labour), unsurprisingly, played a blinder.
Green Party’s Ciarán Cuffe defended govt position while suggesting this may be start of progress towards equal recognition.
No vote was taken on the Civil Partnership Bill tonight. (Good thing, too, as there were about only 10 TDs in the Dáil chamber for it..)
Some speculation on the LiveBlog that it’s unlikely the matter would be resumed beofre February 2010. We wait with baited breath..
Thankee kindly, am stuck at work so that was very helpful!
Was there any talk of the religious cop-out Clicky??
Oh yeah! (Thanks for the reminder.) – There was a wee bit of mention, but only by the advocates of marriage equality and/or the Bill in order to disparage “opt-out” proposals.
Interestingly, one of the TDs who have been mentioned supporting the idea of a religious opt-out, Lucinda Creighton (FG), was absent.
(No sign, either, of Mattie McGrath (FF) who was also mentioned as supporting such an opt-out, as far as I could tell.)
This was just a debate, however – no vote on the Bill, and no amendments were proposed. This may take place at the later stages of the Bill (e.g. Committee Stage, etc.).
Ah right, I’m sure there will be a few more twists and turns from the religious crazies before this actually gets signed into law, no doubt sometime in Febuary 2110.
Sigh.
Aye, who’s to say. They’ll probably re-group alright, but no doubt that the marriage equality advocates will do so, too. The struggle continues!
: )
Some of Charles Flanagan’s speech can be read in this breaking news story from The Irish Times.
So thst’d it? Nothing but more waiting?
What a letdown
I’m afraid it seems so for now. The debate was adjourned at 8:45pm, so presumably it will continue at the next occasion (not sure when that will be yet). It’ll be interesting to see whether the same paltry numbers of TDs/Senators will be present for the resumed debate..
This is something at least (from the Irish Times today)
MINISTER FOR Justice Dermot Ahern has told Fianna Fáil TDs and Senators concerned about the Civil Partnership Bill that he is ruling out a “freedom of conscience” amendment.
More at:
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/1204/1224260043897.html
[...] the Civil Partnership Bill finally get some floortime in the Dáil (which was covered by our own click here). However, while TDs were opening the debate on recognition of same-sex couples last Thursday, [...]
News about Civil Partnership, and discontent about same, has made it across the pond:
“Irish LGBTs: Civil Unions Aren’t Enough – LGBT activists in Ireland are opposing the country’s proposed civil unions bill.. http://tinyurl.com/ykj5mla”
(via The Advocate on Twitter)
[...] Dáil (Ireland’s lower house of parliament) is to resume its debate on the Civil Partnership Bill 2009 this Thursday, 21st January 2010. (It is scheduled to take place at some point between 10:30am and [...]