Plans to allow adoption by same-sex couples
Filed under:
Family
Plans to change adoption laws in the country will allow same-sex couples to adopt children.
The new Children and Family Relationship’s Bill will allow all couples who are unmarried or in a civil partnership to do the same.
While there are concerns that this will cause controversy among religious groups, the Minister for Children, Frances Fitzgerald said these laws have the full support of Fine Gael and the Labour party.
The legislation will also provide a legal basis for surrogacy and assisted human reproduction that will allow non-biological parents to be legally recognised as mothers and fathers.
Details of the bill are expected to be released next month by Minister for Justice, Alan Shatter.
It will also look at areas such as guardianship and will give children the right to challenge their parents’ custody.
The aim of the bill is to establish the best interests of the child and to ensure that they are in the right hands.
There will also be new penalties for parents or guardians who refuse to comply with court orders regarding custody.
