Irish government
pressed again on marriage equality

The Irish government was pressed again on the issue of same-sex marriage Tuesday, when the Irish Council for Civil Liberties issued a report calling for the country's constitution to be amended to allow gay and lesbian couples to marry. The report also calls on the government to give legal recognition to the children of same-sex and unmarried opposite-sex couples. Earlier this month the Irish Human Rights Commission told the government to amend the constitution. Although it stopped short of recommending same-sex marriage, it endorsed partnership unions, similar to those in the United Kingdom. The Irish government is already committed to enacting legislation to allow a form of civil partnerships, but not marriage, for gay and lesbian couples. But justice minister Michael McDowell has said that constitutional change is unnecessary. McDowell also said that the government is justified in excluding opposite-sex couples from partnership unions because they are able to marry. (Sirius OutQ News)