‘No change’ to child rights

Legislation to modernise the laws on families and guardianship will not change the rights of most children in terms of parentage, Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald has pledged.

She also said the biological child of a heterosexual couple will have exactly the same parentage rights as at present, despite claims by those opposed to the laws.

Opening the Dáil discussion on the Children and Family Relationships Bill, Ms Fitzgerald said the number of children living in cohabiting households rose 41% between 2006 and 2011.

The legislation will allow for same-sex adoption and modernise the laws on guardianship and assisted human reproduction.

It will allow adoption by civil partners and cohabiting couples who have lived together for three years.

Children’s rights advocates say the legislation, which the Coalition hopes will be voted through the Dáil and Seanad by the end of March, will affect hundreds of thousands of families.

Those opposed to the law claim children have a right to a mother and a father and that it is in their best interests to be brought up by their natural mother and father in a married family setting.

Ms Fitzgerald said the rights of children would not be changed in the main.

“The bill will not change the rights of most children in terms of parentage,” she said. “A child who is the natural child of a heterosexual couple will have exactly the same parentage rights as at present.”