Thirteen women and 12 children an hour, on average, sought refuge from domestic violence on one day in November last year, a new report has shown. The figures were compiled by Safe Ireland, a national network of women’s refuges and support services, who conducted a head count of people using domestic violence services was held...
Young adults conceived through sperm donation are hurting more, are more confused, and feel more isolated from their families compared to their naturally conceived peers, a ground-breaking new study on donor conception has found. The report, My Daddy’s Name is Donor: A New Study of Young Adults Conceived through Sperm Donation, was published yesterday by...
A new proposal to harmonise divorce laws among a group of EU member-state has been criticised by a leading international pro-family organisation, the Alliance Defence Fund. The Maltese government has also expressed concern about the move. Currently, divorce is illegal in Malta. The Alliance Defence Fund (ADF) has described the move as “a new and...
A primary school receptionist in the UK is taking legal action against her employers after they disciplined her for asking friends to pray about the school’s treatment of her daughter. Lawyers representing Jennie Cain have lodged papers with Exeter employment tribunal claiming that she has suffered religious discrimination, harassment and victimisation. The claim is brought...
Lone parents are set to lose their benefits when their youngest child reaches the age of 13 rather than the current 22 under controversial proposals outlined at the weekend by Minister for Social Protection, Eamon O Cuiv (pictured). The proposals are broadly in line with recommendations contained in an OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and...
A draft wording for a referendum on children’s rights is set to be brought before the Government by the end of June, the Dáil was told yesterday. It is also understood that the referendum could be held as early October, and it may coincide with by-elections in Waterford, Donegal South-West and Dublin South. Tainaiste Mary...
The Daily Mail has given its support to amending the Civil Partnership Bill to protect freedom of conscience and religion. In an editorial in today’s paper, it says that the provision in the Bill which criminalises civil registrars for refusing to carry out civil unions is “ridiculous and unfair”. It continues: “To formally recognise a...
Nearly half of all first births in Ireland take place outside marriage, new figures have shown. According to data from the Central Statistics Office, published today, almost 44 per cent of births to first time mothers were outside wedlock. In addition, twenty eight per cent of births to women having their second child were outside...
A senior Church of Ireland bishop has that the Civil Partnership Bill “deserves to be welcomed”. However, writing in his diocesan newsletter, Bishop Michael Burrows (pictured) of Cashel and Ossory said that he was aware of members of his diocese who were “concerned about the position of some civil registrars who may have conscientious difficulties...
The Home Secretary and the Minister for Women and Equalities, Mrs Theresa May, has said that she has done a U-turn on same-sex adoption and now in favour of it. Her announcement comes as the new Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition publishes a document which reveals that the Government is committed to pushing homosexual ‘rights’ on other...
