Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

I move amendment No. 2:

In page 6, line 5, to delete "section 3 of".

This is a technical amendment and provides that the term "civil partner" shall be constructed in line with all provisions of the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010. Amendment No. 3 provides for the insertion of a new definition of "cohabitant". This makes provision for the inclusion of same-sex cohabitants in the Bill. The current drafting provides for the treatment of a spouse, which includes opposite sex cohabitees and civil partner, but might give rise to inequality in treatment between different classes of cohabitants if same-sex cohabitants were not provided for.

Amendment No. 5 follows logically from amendment No. 3 in providing for the deletion of the definition of "spouse" in the interpretation section. Given the definition of "cohabitant" has now been provided for separately in amendment No. 3, it is no longer necessary to provide a separate definition of "spouse" as encompassing opposite sex cohabitants.

Amendments Nos. 12 to 17, inclusive, and 20 to 22, inclusive, provide for the inclusion, where "spouse" and "civil partner" currently appear, of a reference to "cohabitant" in accordance with section 172(1) of the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010 for the purpose of specifying criteria, including the treatment of income for determining grant eligibility and the seeking and furnishing of information in relation to a grant.

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