LRC urged abolishing concept of illegitimacy

The Department of the Taoiseach opposed the Law Reform Commission’s recommendation to abolish the concept of illegitimacy and allow the automatic granting of parental and guardianship rights to the children of unmarried parents.

A memo submitted to the government by the department on behalf of then taoiseach Garret FitzGerald said the proposal was “undesirable”, as there were “clearly unmeritorious fathers”, combined with the needs to consider the best interests of the child.

However, FitzGerald backed the recommendation that illegitimate children should enjoy the same succession rights as legitimate children, only subject to safeguards in cases where it might be unfair to widows and legitimate children.