Ivana Bacik (Independent)

The Minister of State may be correct. In any event, we are not discussing a birth parent in the context of the Bill before us. I am pointing out that a clear procedure exists in law whereby the natural mother consents to somebody else being a joint guardian with her. I do not expect the Minister of State to commit one way or another now but I ask him to consider a procedure for swearing a statutory declaration before a solicitor where the natural mother consents to signing an affidavit verifying that she was in a loving relationship with her partner. It offers an alternative route to recognition of a partner in cases where a child lives with two parents but has no legal relationship with one of them. People just get on with their lives in the normal course of affairs but difficulties arises where one party dies and the child has no inheritance rights or other legal rights which I need not outline. A number of problems can arise in the absence of a legal relationship with a non-birth parent.