A Same-Sex female couple from Cork became the first to be recognised on their child’s birth certificate, from birth… but for the majority of LGBT+ families, this is still not an option.

It was widely reported yesterday that a same-sex female couple from Cork have become the first to both be registered, from birth, as their twin’s legal parents. This was made possible by the commencement in May 2020 of the Children and Families Relationship Act which was passed into law in 2015.

However, the majority of LGBT+ headed families fall outside any legal framework, meaning that only one parent can be recognised as a legal parent. As a result, such families face unknown outcomes in the event of; bereavement, illness etc. Despite the progress made today, we are #stillnotequal.

Equality for Children, a grassroots campaign launched in October 2019, campaigns for equality for all children of LGBT+ families in Ireland. It was started by a collective of concerned parents and allies, who became tired of waiting for their children to be given the legal equality that they deserve.

Ranae von Meding, CEO of Equality for Children says, .“While today’s actions represent another step forward in our campaign, we are still nowhere near equality for all children of LGBT+ families. Children through assisted human reproduction to gay dads, born abroad, and conceived through intracervical insemination are just some of those who still have no functioning legal pathway to a legal parent-child relationship with both their parents who love and care for them on a daily basis. It’s not equality until it includes everyone.

“The Children and Family and Relationships Act dictates a very particular set of rules that LGBT+ parents must follow when creating their families. While this act has provided enormous relief for hundreds of families, including the family recognised today, it is still not good enough that approximately only 40% of the children of LGBT+ families benefit from this bill. The other 60% are denied the option of having a legal connection to both their parents. Almost 6 years after marriage equality, that is simply not acceptable.”

“We recognise that progress has been made via; the CFRA, the Assisted Human Reproduction Bill reaching Oireachtas Committee stage, and the report recently completed by the Special Rapporteur on Child Protection, Dr. Conor O’ Mahony, regarding the legal rights required by those LGBT+ families not yet protected. These are significant developments that have the potential to provide pathways to legal recognition for the families that currently are prevented from having full legal protections However, the pace of progress is unacceptably slow. We are calling on the government to publish the report from Dr. Conor O’ Mahony and to adopt all of its recommendations in the upcoming Assisted Human Reproduction Bill.”

The campaign has garnered support from across and beyond the LGBT+ community. EFC volunteers work on areas such as; social media, fundraising, lobbying, artwork, legal support etc. The Equality For Children campaign is asking people to support them via volunteering and donations, to enable the fight for full equality.

“As it stands currently , in the vast majority of LGBT+ families only one parent can be a legal parent. This must change.. It’s not equal and it’s not what we voted for,” Ranae commented.

‘Equality for Children’ can be found at @equalityforchildren and at www.equalityforchildren.ie.

Interview and PR/quote enquiries to lucy@artisyn.ie or ranae@equalityforchildren.ie

ENDS