Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

A draft scheme of the civil partnership Bill was circulated to Government Departments and the Attorney General for their observations in March, as per a commitment given by the previous Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The Bill is being finalised in light of the responses which have been received and will be brought to Government shortly for consideration. As the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government stated, it is better to do something right than to do it quickly and we hope to proceed on that basis.

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