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Phyllis Siegel and Connie Kopelov, the first same-sex couple to get married in New York, earlier this year. AP Photo/Jason DeCrow
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Same-sex partnerships from abroad to be recognised in Ireland
Gay couples who were married in New York, Illinois, South Africa and other parts of the world will be recognised as being in a civil partnership under Irish law.
SAME-SEX COUPLES WHO were married or entered into civil partnerships in several countries will now be recognised under Irish law, Minister for Justice Alan Shatter has said.
Couples who entered into “certain registered relationships” in other jurisdictions will be treated as equivalent to civil partnerships under Irish law from Christmas Day onwards.
Announcing the move, Minister for Justice Alan Shatter said that the government was committed to ensuring same-sex couples with relationships from other jurisdictions could enjoy the full protections and benefits of the civil partnership legislation.
The other jurisdictions announced are:
- Marriages from New York, USA
- Civil unions from Illinois, USA
- Domestic partnerships from Oregon, USA
- Civil unions from Rhode Island, USA
- Civil partnerships from the Isle of Man
- Civil partnerships from South Africa
Any couples living in Ireland in any of these relationships will be subject to the same rights and obligations as a couple who register a civil partnership in Ireland.
These include rights to shared property, pensions and inheritance.
“Reform of the law in this area in other countries is ongoing, and we are ensuring that registered partners will enjoy recognition and protection of the law on return or relocation to Ireland,” said the Minister.
Civil partners are also treated in the same way as spouses under the tax, social welfare and domestic violence codes.
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