Passing of Civil Partnership Bill is an Historic Event
Partnership Bill breaks substantial new ground
CARL O'BRIEN
ANALYSIS: What does the civil partnership legislation do and how will it work?, writes CARL O'BRIEN
BY ANY yardstick, the passage of the Civil Partnership Bill through the Oireachtas is a historic development.
Key Points of Civil Partnership Bill
The key points
In this section
CIVIL PARTNERSHIPS
Same-sex partners can avail of marriage-like benefits in a range of areas such as property, social welfare, succession, maintenance, pensions and tax.
The first formal civil unions next year were carried out in March of this year, 2011.
Prospective partners are required to provide three months' notice of a civil partnership. Ceremonies take place in civil registry offices or other approved settings.
The legislation also provides for recognition of civil partnerships, or their equivalents, from other countries.
COHABITING COUPLES
A redress scheme is available for same sex or opposite sex cohabiting couples who have been living together for five years or more.
It will allows for a "financially dependent" cohabitant to apply to court for redress such as a share in property, a lump sum, periodic payments or a share in the other person's pension.
If the relationship ends through death, the surviving cohabitant can make a claim on the estate.
For those who want to opt out of the redress scheme, couples must register a "cohabitant agreement" which regulates the shared financial affairs of the couples.
Cohabitation and Civil Partnership
2010 CIVIL PARTNERSHIP/COHABITANTS ACT
