Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)

This Bill is concerned with giving legal recognition and equality to a legally invisible, but sizeable portion of our society. It is clear-cut, progressive and long overdue. Increasingly, we are seeing heterosexual couples opting for informal rather than legal relationships and when these relationships fail, the difficulties become apparent with everything from the rights of fathers in non-marital situations to property rights and tax reliefs cropping up just as they do for same-sex couples.

We must find a way to support stable, committed and loving relationships and we must vote in favour of the Bill to ensure that all persons are afforded their right to equality before the law.

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