Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

While I welcome this Bill, it is ridiculous that three years after marriage equality was endorsed by the people in a referendum, many families are not seen as equal in the eyes of the State. Over the past year, I have repeatedly raised this issue in the House under Questions on Promised Legislation and through written parliamentary questions. Time and again, we were given deadlines that were not met and we were brushed off. Many same-sex families have rightly grown very angry at the Government's failure to sort this out. Therefore it is good to finally have something concrete before us.

This Bill will benefit many LGBTI couples by giving them the opportunity to register both parents on a birth certificate and to avail of equal parental rights, as enjoyed by other families. This ensures legal protection on issues such as guardianship and inheritance rights. However, we cannot ignore the fact that this Bill does not go far enough. Male same-sex couples will be largely left behind along with many female same-sex couples, including those who conceived through home insemination.

In recent weeks, many families who are very upset have contacted me. They understandably thought they would be included in this Bill.

I welcome the Minister of State's comment that these issues will be addressed at a later stage. We cannot leave people behind. The children of these families know exactly who their parents are. They do not need the Government to tell them that. However, what they do need is for this State to recognise their family in law and to treat them equally. I welcome the Bill but it does not go far enough and we cannot leave any more families behind.

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