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four minutes

WATCH: How the child of a lesbian couple sums up Ireland's family laws

Angela O’Connell uses a four-minute speech – and her little boy’s family drawing – to argue for change.

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ANGELA O’CONNELL HAS four children but the youngest two have been marked out as different by the State, according to current family law.

Currently, she is not considered to be the legal guardian of her two youngest children – one who was initially fostered and another who was born to her partner through assisted insemination using donor sperm.

‘M’ – a boy – was their second foster placement. He was a baby when he joined their family and, years later, is still with them. They have made attempts to adopt him as individuals but that process is ongoing.

Here’s their story, complete with M’s own family drawing:

Shatter: ‘My objective is for legal clarity for surrogate and LGBT parents by year end’

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