Partnership bill does not offer equal rights

WITH regard to your report headlined ‘Catholic group warns TDs of ‘evil’ of civil partnership bill’ (February 17), I was very surprised to see it stated that the bill “grants equal rights to all couples in Ireland”.

This is a hugely misinformed statement.

The bill is lacking more than 200 of the rights and responsibilities offered by both marriage and civil marriage.

For example, the bill completely ignores children, which is a blatant inequality and leaves many children in an extremely vulnerable position when it comes to guardianship and inheritance rights.

I am also disgusted by the formation of yet another anti-gay Catholic lobby group. Whatever happened to “live and let live?”

Besides anything else, civil partnership is a secular institution and, as such, does not and will not affect the Catholic Church in the slightest. It’s hard to believe this group is actually protesting about LGBT couples being afforded a tiny amount of the partnership rights that members of the Catholic League enjoy as heterosexual citizens.

Let’s hope TDs will stick with their decision finally to attempt to move Ireland into the 21st century and not be swayed by this right-wing bigotry.

Laura Finlay

USI LGBT Rights Officer

Union of Students in Ireland

St Agnes Road

Crumlin

Dublin 12