Gay couples to get equal rights

[Maxwell511]

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/gay-couples-to-get-equal-rights-1038656.html

GAY couples are to be given the same legal rights as other couples during the course of the current Dail, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern confirmed yesterday.


Under a new civil partnership law, gay and co-habiting couples will be entitled to the same tax breaks, social welfare benefits, pension schemes and inheritance rights as married couples have now, he said.

The new government coalition was committed to providing full equality to same-sex couples and would like to have legislation enacted as soon as possible to make this a reality, Mr Ahern said at the re-launch of a gay community centre - Outhouse on Capel Street, Dublin, which has survived two arson attacks.

The times they are a changing. Homosexual intercourse was only legalised in 1993 and soon they will be able to get "married". I blame American tv.

Edit: Btw Dáil means government or Congress (sort of) depending on where you are. An Taoiseach is the Prime Minister.

 

[CCGirl]

Excellent news!

 

[ChaliceThunder]

Thanks be to God!

 

[SeraphymCrashing]

I heartily give out a whoo hoo!

 

[SteveAtheist]

[sarcasm]
But, won't this 'destroy marriage'? Who is gonna stand up and protect marriage?
[/sarcasm]

 

[Douger]

[sarcasm]
But, won't this 'destroy marriage'? Who is gonna stand up and protect marriage?
[/sarcasm]

Well seeing as this has absoloutely nothing to do with marriage I fail to really give a hoot.
The state of Ireland can do whatever they please.

 

[PassionFruit]

[sarcasm]
But, won't this 'destroy marriage'? Who is gonna stand up and protect marriage?
[/sarcasm]

Yeah, and what about the children?
/sarcasm

Fantastic news.

 

[MrPirate]

And yet another country moves ahead of the United States in defending equality

 

[BeamMeUpScotty]

[sarcasm]
But, won't this 'destroy marriage'? Who is gonna stand up and protect marriage?
[/sarcasm]

Newt?

 

[Robbie_James_Francis]

Fantastic news.

It's a real shame that the legislation doesn't go far enough, though, and allow marriage for gay people.

 

[Billnew]

Fantastic news.

It's a real shame that the legislation doesn't go far enough, though, and allow marriage for gay people.

Marriage:

1. [*]The legal union of a man and woman as husband and wife.
   [*]The state of being married; wedlock.
   [*]A common-law marriage.
   [*]www.dictionary.com
   [*]

Civil unions should be what society decides they should be. If society wants them to be equal to marriage, then
change the laws. If less then marriage, then make it that.

Society set what benefits marriage has over hundreds of years, so why just assume that a new union should be treated the same?

Tv has blazed the trail for social acceptance of traditionally immoral activity, including the acceptance of homosexuality. Look at the restrictions placed on
tv in the 50's and 60's as opposed to now.

 

[Robbie_James_Francis]

Marriage:

Definitions change. Words and their use reflect the society in which they exist.

Civil unions should be what society decides they should be. If society wants them to be equal to marriage, then
change the laws. If less then marriage, then make it that.

Society set what benefits marriage has over hundreds of years, so why just assume that a new union should be treated the same?

It is not simply an assumption. It is a matter of principle, one that rests on ideas of equality, justice and freedom.

Tv has blazed the trail for social acceptance of traditionally immoral activity, including the acceptance of homosexuality. Look at the restrictions placed on
tv in the 50's and 60's as opposed to now.

If this is the case, thank goodness. It seems to me, though, that it's more complex than that. Developments in society may reflect changes in mass media. But those changes themselves are an earlier reflection of the previous developments in society.

It's called progress.

 

[Maxwell511]

It's a real shame that the legislation doesn't go far enough, though, and allow marriage for gay people.

The legislative cannot legislate gay marriage without a constitutional admendment. Referendums are expense and only done when really necessary. Governments tend to legislate around the consitution until they can't anymore and then go to the people if need be.

For example, as an atheist here any expression of my opinion regarding the existance of God is not only not protected speech under the constitution, in the section on the "right to free expression" it is made a criminal offence. So the government to protect my rights from the constitution simply does not enforce the law or legislate any punishment for it.

A similiar thing is being done here for gay couples. The constitution prevents them from having equal rights if we call it marriage so we simply give them the same rights and call it something else.

 

[CCGirl]

The legislative cannot legislate gay marriage without a constitutional admendment. Referendums are expense and only done when really necessary. Governments tend to legislate around the consitution until they can't anymore and then go to the people if need be.

For example, as an atheist here any expression of my opinion regarding the existance of God is not only not protected speech under the constitution, in the section on the "right to free expression" it is made a criminal offence. So the government to protect my rights from the constitution simply does not enforce the law or legislate any punishment for it.

A similiar thing is being done here for gay couples. The constitution prevents them from having equal rights if we call it marriage so we simply give them the same rights and call it something else.

It seems the church has lost much of their stranglehold in Ireland, and quite rapidly.

 

[Maxwell511]

It seems the church has lost much of their stranglehold in Ireland, and quite rapidly.

It pretty much collapsed starting after the visit of the Pope (there was no casual relationship between the visit and the collapse). For those of religious leanings it should be a warning. Seperation of church and state is there to protect the churches from themselves just as much as the people outside the majority religion. I don't care if you believe yourself to be a man of God, you are still a man, and like all men power will corrupt.

 

[CCGirl]

It pretty much collapsed starting after the visit of the Pope (there was no casual relationship between the visit and the collapse). For those of religious leanings it should be a warning. Seperation of church and state is there to protect the churches from themselves just as much as the people outside the majority religion. I don't care if you believe yourself to be a man of God, you are still a man, and like all men power will corrupt.

Interesting, it reminds of Quebec's "quiet revolution". The church in Quebec now is an insignificant footnote to history.

 

[Robbie_James_Francis]

The legislative cannot legislate gay marriage without a constitutional admendment. Referendums are expense and only done when really necessary. Governments tend to legislate around the consitution until they can't anymore and then go to the people if need be.

For example, as an atheist here any expression of my opinion regarding the existance of God is not only not protected speech under the constitution, in the section on the "right to free expression" it is made a criminal offence. So the government to protect my rights from the constitution simply does not enforce the law or legislate any punishment for it.

A similiar thing is being done here for gay couples. The constitution prevents them from having equal rights if we call it marriage so we simply give them the same rights and call it something else.

I can understand that, but I do think that gay marriage is necessary, and worth the effort of a referendum. Hopefully, the people of Ireland will soon be on the whole in favour of it.

 

[Dannager]

Marriage:

Defining a social construct with another, self-referencing social construct doesn't really give you any support.

Language changes as the meaning changes.

 

[cassie121]

yay!

 

[YoungJoonKim]

so..this is in Ireland?