Referendum outcome won’t affect Child and Family Relationships Bill

I am writing regarding the opinion piece written by Margaret Hickey (Irish Examiner, April 3). I would like to address some of the issus raised in her piece. 

However, Ms Hickey did hit one one nail on the head. Who indeed could argue against love and equality?

Nobody could. And this is why Ms Hickey has purposefully confused the issue of civil marriage being extended to same sex couples with the separate issues of adoption and surrogacy.

Such issues are not relevant to any debate relating to the upcoming referendum because they have already been dealt with in the Children and Family Relationship Bill

Ms Hickey states that without the Constitutional change, the bill is “wide open to challenge”. This is inaccurate. The outcome of this referendum will not have any effect on the Child and Family Relationships Bill.

It is worth pointing out, however, that this bill that Ms Hickey and her organisation seemingly hope to challenge is one that puts children’s best interests first, that a child’s best interests are the only consideration in proceedings related to custody, guardianship, adoption or access.

It puts children in non-marital on equal footing by providing legal recognition of a child’s relationship with the people parenting them. This bill protects children. Why would anyone who claims to care about children want to challenge a bill that offers them better protection under Irish law?

Mary Cleary

Ballincollig

Co Cork