Ireland, Europe

Government recognition of LGBT rights in the Republic of Ireland has expanded greatly over the past two decades. Homosexuality was decriminalised in 1993, and discrimination based on sexual orientation is now outlawed. The state also forbids incitement to hatred based on sexual orientation. These laws forbid discrimination in any of the following areas: employment, vocational training, advertising, collective agreements, the provision of goods and services, and other publicly available opportunities. A Civil Partnerships Bill (2008) was presented to the Cabinet on 24 June 2008. It is expected to complete the parliamentary process by mid 2009 at the latest. The most recent survey, carried out in 2008, showed that 84% of Irish people supported civil marriage or civil partnerships for gay and lesbian couples, with 58% (up from 51%) supporting full marriage rights in registry offices.

 

News & Reports:

 

Report on scheme to disregard historic convictions of gay and bisexual men in Ireland finalised

The working group has finalised its report on possible disregard schemes for historic convictions of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men. The report from the working group established by the Department of Justice to examine the ‘Disregard of (historic) Convictions for Certain Qualifying Offences Related to Consensual Sexual Activity between Men’… Read more »

Gay Irish Prime Minister Welcomed at White House on St. Patrick’s Day

The leader and his partner had earlier met with Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband. President Joe Biden welcomed Ireland’s gay prime minister, known as the Taoiseach, to the White House on St. Patrick’s Day on Friday. In a meeting between the countries that had been postponed due to the pandemic, the two leaders… Read more »

Gay Irish Prime Minister Welcomed at White House on St. Patrick’s Day

The leader and his partner had earlier met with Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband. President Joe Biden welcomed Ireland’s gay prime minister, known as the Taoiseach, to the White House on St. Patrick’s Day on Friday. In a meeting between the countries that had been postponed due to the pandemic, the two leaders… Read more »

Northern Ireland Converts Civil Partnerships To Marriages

In a win for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland, their civil partnerships will be converted to marriage, Gay Times reports. The Northern Ireland Office made the recent announcement via Twitter. In its announcement, the Northern Ireland Office said the ability to convert civil union to marriage was open to both same-sex and opposite-sex couples and… Read more »

Leo Varadkar, Ireland’s Openly Gay Prime Minister, Steps Down

Ireland’s first openly gay prime minister, Leo Varadkar, resigned on Thursday. According to the BBC, Varadkar acted after his Fine Gael party lost 15 seats in the general election held earlier this month. After the Irish Parliament failed to name his replacement, Varadkar submitted his resignation, though he’ll remain in the post in a caretaker… Read more »

Same-sex marriage now legal in Northern Ireland

Same-sex marriage is now legally recognised in Northern Ireland. From Monday, same-sex couples will be able to register to marry, meaning the first ceremonies will take place in February. For couples who are already married, their marriage will now be legally recognised in Northern Ireland. However, those who are already in a civil partnership will… Read more »

Regulations to allow same sex parents register both their names on their child’s birth cert to be signed today

Law will allow same sex parents register both their names on their child’s birth cert from May 5th 2020. Health Minister Simon Harris will today sign regulations which will allow same-sex parents register both their names on their child’s birth cert from May 5th 2020. Harris will meet with a number of LGBT families and… Read more »

LGBTI ‘lifeline’ for people in rural Ireland under threat of closure

Teach Solais is the only LGBTI center in western Ireland. And without it, people fighting rural isolation would be without their vital support A lifeline for LGBTI people living in rural western Ireland is in danger of closing. Teach Solais, an Irish word meaning ‘lighthouse’, is providing much-needed services. It is the only LGBTI center… Read more »

Abortion is now legal in Ireland as president signs bill

Abortion is an issue that affects many LGBTI people he Republic of Ireland’s president has signed a bill which legalizes abortion on the Emerald Isle. President Michael D Higgins signed the Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy Bill into law today (21 December). The Irish people voted to legalize abortion in a referendum earlier this year.… Read more »

Northern Ireland DUP councilor backs motion to light up town hall in rainbow colors for Pride

He went against his own party’s anti-LGBT line A Northern Ireland town hall is set to be lit up in rainbow colors to mark all future Prides. And it’s all thanks to a single Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) councilor. A motion on the issue, which relates to Ards Town Hall, was recommended for approval at… Read more »

Gay men in Northern Ireland offered access to pardons

Men convicted of abolished gay sex offences in Northern Ireland can now seek a pardon and have their record cleared. The new law, which was approved by the assembly in 2016, comes into force on Thursday. It brings Northern Ireland into line with England and Wales. Convictions that are disregarded will be considered as never… Read more »

Ireland becomes first country to legalise gay marriage by popular vote

Referendum result gives yes vote 62% and no 38% as equality minister declares he is proud to be Irish Ireland has voted by a huge majority to legalise same-sex marriage, becoming the first country in the world to do so by popular vote in a move hailed as a social revolution and welcomed around the… Read more »

Ireland paves way for LGBT-inclusive sex and relationship education in schools

The Irish government has asked a regulator to draw up guidance for teaching about LGBT issues in relationships and sexuality education (RSE). The Republic of Ireland’s Education minister, Richard Bruton TD, this week announced a review of the RSE provisions in all schools. ? Teaching about sex and relationships has been mandatory in Irish schools… Read more »

Ireland’s first gay prime minister Leo Varadkar formally elected

The former GP, who came out as gay in 2015, is confirmed as taoiseach in Dáil ceremony in Dublin The son of an Indian immigrant has made Irish history by becoming the country’s youngest and first openly gay prime minister. Leo Varadkar, 38, was formally elected taoiseach at a confirmation ceremony in the Dáil in… Read more »

Ireland lifts lifetime ban on gay men giving blood

Ireland has softened rules that permanently banned men who have sex with men from donating blood. Until this week, the Republic of Ireland continued to enforce rules introduced at the height of the AIDS crisis, which stipulate that men who have sex with men (MSM) are banned for life from giving blood. A number of… Read more »

Ireland passes bill removing religious exemptions from LGBT equality law

Fresh off of the country’s first same-sex weddings, Ireland’s Parliament has passed a bill removing religious exemptions from LGBT anti-discrimination laws. The Republic of Ireland approved same-sex marriage in a landslide referendum earlier this year, by 62.07% to 37.93% – and overcoming bureaucratic hurdles, the green light has been given for weddings to start this… Read more »

Gay Couples To Begin Marrying Monday In Ireland

Gay and lesbian couples will begin exchanging vows on Monday in the Republic of Ireland. In May, Ireland became the first nation to legalize such unions by a popular vote. On Tuesday, Irish Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald signed the commencement order for the Marriage Act 2015 in Dublin Castle, the BBC reported. Starting on… Read more »

What It Was Like in Ireland the Moment They Said YES to Equality

You’ve likely heard the news that Ireland made history this past weekend by becoming the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage by (a landslide) popular vote. But what you might not have seen beyond the headlines and articles is just how much the marriage referendum captured the attention and passion of an… Read more »

Ireland’s referendum, however inspiring, is not a step forward for gay rights

The resources that are spent on a gay marriage referendum would be better used educating the public about homophobia, protecting LGBTQ youth from bullying, and the like Gays and fair-minded people worldwide are rejoicing at the news that Ireland has legalised same-sex marriage. The news is widely noted as historic, but not for the reasons… Read more »

10% of LGBT people in Ireland have quit their job because of discrimination

Research by the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN) found that some 30% of gay, lesbian and bisexual employees in Ireland are harassed at work. One in ten Irish LGBT people have quit their job because of discrimination at work, GLEN found. The research also found that employees who were out at work were more… Read more »

Strong support for gay marriage in Ireland finds latest poll

Recent poll shows 76% of Irish people said they would vote in favour of introducing same-sex marriage in the country, though nearly half would have ‘reservations’ More than three quarters (76%) of Irish people would welcome the introduction of same-sex marriage, according to a recent poll. Additionally, 80% of those surveyed agreed that same-sex couples… Read more »

Poll: 76% of people in Ireland support equal marriage

A new poll has found that a majority of Irish people still support the right of gay and lesbian couples to get married. According to a recent Red C poll for Irish broadcasters RTE, 76% of people in Ireland believe that marriages between same-sex couples should be legally recognised. The poll was published in the… Read more »

‘This country is rampant with homophobia’, this Irish politician deserves a standing ovation

Independent Senator David Norris has delivered a remarkable, blistering polemic against “rampant homophobia” to the Irish senate this week. Watch Mr Norris come out blazing against members of the chamber who he accuses of putting down motions that “are effectively apartheid.” The speech was prompted by the Irish broadcaster RTE paying damages to anti-gay rights… Read more »

Gay couples can adopt in North

Gay rights campaigners have welcomed a court ruling that paves the way for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland to adopt. It comes after a legal challenge yesterday by Health Minister Edwin Poots was dismissed by the Court of Appeal. The move brings Northern Ireland law into line with the rest of the UK, and means… Read more »

Another defeat for equal marriage in Northern Ireland in the Stormont Assembly

Politicians have once again blocked moves to legalise equal marriage in Northern Ireland. Last night the country’s Stormont Assembly voted against recognising the same-sex marriage bill for England and Wales, which is currently nearing the end of its journey in the House of Lords. Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) passed a Legislative Consent Motion… Read more »

Ireland: Record levels of new HIV cases for gay and bisexual men

Figures released by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre show there were 166 newly diagnosed cases of HIV among gay and bisexual men last year in Ireland – the highest diagnosis rate recorded to date. Ireland’s Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN) described the figures as “very worrying”. Tiernan Brady, director of Gay HIV Strategies (GHS)… Read more »

Eamon Gilmore says his support for gay marriage ‘is a Labour policy not Coalition’s’

Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore’s backing for gay marriage is Labour’s way, not the Government’s way, he has claimed. Mr Gilmore has confirmed he is speaking for the Labour Party, and not the Coalition, when he says the gay marriage is an issue “whose time is come”. Taoiseach Enda Kenny has repeatedly refused to support Mr Gilmore’s… Read more »

Thousands gather in Dublin for marriage equality march

The fourth Irish March for Marriage took place in Dublin city centre yesterday afternoon. Thousands gathered for a lively demonstration calling for the country to introduce marriage equality. Organised by Irish gay rights group LGBT Noise, the one of the march’s key aims was to raise awareness of the discrimination affecting same-sex partners and their… Read more »

MSM is now the ‘cornerstone’ of HIV prevention strategies

The high proportion of new HIV diagnoses among men who have sex with men (MSM) was now so high that measures directed at this group was now the cornerstone of HIV prevention strategies in Europe, according to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC). The Centre’s Director Dr Darina O’Flanagan said the highest proportion of new… Read more »

Gay Irish teachers lead double lives

Being honest about their relationships can get them fired in a nation in which the Catholic church still wields power Schools in Ireland can be hostile places for gay people, particularly the staff rooms. Gay, lesbian or bisexual teachers in schools, still dominated by the Catholic church, risk discrimination or even the sack if they… Read more »

‘Missing’ gay Malaysian newlywed in Ireland draws harsh criticism

A Malaysian man, who was reported missing as early as 2008 while he was a medical student in Ireland, is now a subject of controversy in his home country after photos of him in a same-sex civil union surfaced last week. Ariff Alfian Rosli, a 28-year-old Malaysian man whose family reported him missing after he… Read more »

Gay Ireland and Northern Ireland News and Reports 2011

1 Irish civil partnerships come into law 1/11 2 Ireland recognises foreign gay marriage and partnerships 1/11 3 Gay couple are first to be recognised as civil partners in Ireland 1/11 4 Clerics furious at Londonderry gay sauna 2/11 5 Most Irish people support gay marriage, poll says 2/11 6 Ireland elects first openly gay… Read more »

Gay Ireland and Northern Ireland News and Reports 2009-10

Dublin: ‘Lesbians Organizing Together’ drop-in centre where gay people can report homophobic crimes 5 Capel St (Mon-Thurs 10am-6pm, Fri 10am-4pm; tel 872 7770) 1 Homophobic Bullying a Major Problem in Irish Schools 2/09 2 Ireland to refuse adoption rights for gay couples 2/09 3 ‘High number’ of gay and bisexual domestic violence victims in No.… Read more »

Gay Ireland and Northern Ireland News and Reports 2007-08

Dublin: ‘Lesbians Organizing Together’ drop-in centre where gay people can report homophobic crimes 5 Capel St (Mon-Thurs 10am-6pm, Fri 10am-4pm; tel 872 7770) 1 Firms in North face new gay discrimination laws 1/07 2 Gay groups welcome Lords decision 1/07 3 Transgender summit a first for Ireland 2/07 4 Ireland delays gay partnership bill 2/07… Read more »

Gay Ireland and Northern Ireland News and Reports 2005-06

Dublin: ‘Lesbians Organizing Together’ drop-in centre where gay people can report homophobic crimes 5 Capel St (Mon-Thurs 10am-6pm, Fri 10am-4pm; tel 872 7770) 1 It’s the Rainbow’s end, fear gay campaigners 4/05 2 Launch of ‘Alternative Parents Ireland’ 5/05 3 Irish President slams homophobic bullying 6/05 4 Tensions rise over Belfast Pride 7/05 5 Northern… Read more »

Gay Ireland and Gay Northern Ireland News and Reports 2003-04

Dublin: ‘Lesbians Organizing Together’ drop-in centre where gay people can report homophobic crimes 5 Capel St (Mon-Thurs 10am-6pm, Fri 10am-4pm; tel 872 7770) 1 Northern Ireland: Gays are urged to report all attacks 1/03 2 New Code To Protect Gay Students 1/03 3 Leggy Leslie plans to reign on gay parade 3/03 4 Gays and… Read more »

Gay Ireland and Gay Northern Ireland News & Reports 2000-02

Dublin: ‘Lesbians Organizing Together’ drop-in centre where gay people can report homophobic crimes 5 Capel St (Mon-Thurs 10am-6pm, Fri 10am-4pm; tel 872 7770) (Lengthy Interview with Irish Gay Activist Brendan Fay 1995) 1 Venue crisis for Pride events in Waterford 8/00 2 Positive reaction to Irish Gay Documentary 8/00 3 New Irish Law Bans Discrimination… Read more »