Government must deliver on what it promised for civil partnerships

ALL newspaper columnists face the same dilemma: how much of ourselves should go into an article? Should we select a topic, adopt a lofty tone, present the arguments, and come to some clever conclusion by weighing up the evidence? Or should we just say, “This is what I believe”?

This column falls into the latter category. The debates in the Dáil on Labour’s revived Civil Unions Bill make for fascinating reading. The measure aims to legalise, recognise and regularise long-term gay and lesbian relationships. Very broadly, there is a cross-party consensus that “something must be done”.

In April last year, the Taoiseach posed as the champion of fairness. His remarks at the opening of the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network’s offices in Dublin were as plain as they were welcome: “The Government is unequivocally in favour of treating gay and lesbian people as fully equal citizens in our society. Giving effect to this principle in legislation is necessarily complex and challenging. Legislating for civil partnerships requires thinking through a host of related matters … This challenge, however, is one the Government is determined to meet. We are committed to legislating on this issue.”