Irish lawmakers open debate on gay rights bill

[Scurrilous]

Source: Associated Press

<snip>

"Ireland's lawmakers opened debate Thursday on a bill to grant marriage-style rights to gay couples, a social milestone in a country long observant of Roman Catholic opposition to homosexuality.

Justice Minister Dermot Ahern said the bill would give gay couples the same rights as married heterosexual couples on questions of property ownership, inheritance, medical care and access to state benefits — and also the same right to go to court seeking financial support from higher-earning partners when relationships fail.

Ahern noted that the proposal would have been unthinkable only a few years ago in Ireland, a country that defined homosexuality as a criminal offense until 1993.

He said denying the reality of thousands of gay couples in Ireland "only helps to reinforce prejudice in our society."

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iAJT74FnNMdK4va0_N2GRNAF8gKwD9CC25KO0

[Ignis]

1. Here's fingers crossed it goes well.

I hope the "Sinead's Hand" ad did a lot to raise consciousness on this issue.

http://www.youtube.com/v/6ULdaSrYGLQ

[mackerel]

2. They just enacted blasphemy laws...I can't see this ending well.

[Ignis]

3. Oh, I thought those were more EU-style laws.

Which I disagree with completely, but they're a far cry from the old Irish laws based on the Church.

But perhaps I'm wrong? Off to do some research. :hi:

ETA: Oh I was very, very wrong. :scared:
I didn't know that thing actually passed. Talk about two steps back. :(

[Doc Martin]

4. Is the blasphemy legislation a workaround?

http://www.reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/908dg/irish_blasphemy_law_is_not_sinister_new_law_but/

[Ignis]

5. Oh, they're not going to enforce it. It's grandstanding.

A la "Freedom Fries." :eyes:

But it's still embarrassing.