Sign up to The Irish Times Archive (1859 - 2008)My Account »
Fri 07 Jul 2010Partnership Bill 'a most important piece of legislation'
LEGISLATION to recognise the civil partnership of same-sex couples passed all stages in the Dáil last night. Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern described it as “one of the most important pieces of civil rights legislation to come before us since independence”.
There was sustained applause from the visitors gallery after the Civil Partnership Bill was passed without a vote. Mr Ahern said that all parties had united behind the Bill and this made it a “clear and powerful statement that gay people will never again have their status or relationships ignored”.
Choose a Subscription type - required
