The State will allow the birth certs of children to be changed [1] so that the same-sex partner of a child’s biological parent can also be named on the birth certs as a parent even though they are not the birth parent of the child. The intention to commence the relevant provisions of the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 was announced by Minister Simon Harris yesterday and he hopes to rush it through the Oireachtas before the summer recess.
The change would allow the retroactive altering of birth certificates from the past as well as changing the registration of births in the future. It will also enable mandate that the names of people designated as parents will appear on the child’s passport.
Speaking last week, the Minister said: “I assure all members that the Government shares their sense of urgency and wants to resolve the matter. The Deputies are entirely correct. I intend to go to Cabinet very shortly with a view to bringing about a legislative solution that I hope we can work with on a cross-party basis to try to pass it by the summer recess.”