Colley Report
Encyclopedia
The Colley Report is a 2006 paper on same-sex marriage
and civil partnership produced for the Irish
Government. Formally known as the Options Paper on Cohabiting Couples, (2006), the report was named after its chair, Anne Colley
.
in Northern Ireland held the first of the new UK Civil Partnership registration ceremonies. The Government said that it would legislate following the report, but Taoiseach Bertie Ahern also said there might not be time to do so before the then upcoming election.
, this working group included the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network
(GLEN), the gay rights lobby organisation, who said they expected a recommendation for civil marriage. The group facilitated a conference on the topic in May 2006, as input to its reports which was attended by experts from other countries which have introduced civil unions and gay marriage. During his speech, McDowell was interrupted by members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians
opposed to the Government plans.
relationships due to lack of research. The cabinet reviewed the report, but no legislation was introduced before the 2007 General election, and in the intervening period the Government rejected opposition legislation, saying that legislation should await the KAL Case Supreme Court challenge.
, and other rights organisations. Ógra Fianna Fáil
also called for full implementation of the Report. At the same time, a number of LGBT groups, including GLEN, LGBTNoise and MarriagEquality, criticised Civil Partnership as "a separate and unequal institution".
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
and civil partnership produced for the Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
Government. Formally known as the Options Paper on Cohabiting Couples, (2006), the report was named after its chair, Anne Colley
Anne Colley
Anne Colley is a former Irish Progressive Democrats politician who represented Dublin South from 1987 to 1989.-Background:Anne Colley was born in Dublin in 1951. She read Law at University College Dublin and qualified as a solicitor...
.
Background
On 20 December 2005, Minister for Justice Michael McDowell announced that he was creating a working group in the Department of Justice to provide options for government consideration. This announcement came on the day after BelfastBelfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
in Northern Ireland held the first of the new UK Civil Partnership registration ceremonies. The Government said that it would legislate following the report, but Taoiseach Bertie Ahern also said there might not be time to do so before the then upcoming election.
Process
Chaired by former TD Anne ColleyAnne Colley
Anne Colley is a former Irish Progressive Democrats politician who represented Dublin South from 1987 to 1989.-Background:Anne Colley was born in Dublin in 1951. She read Law at University College Dublin and qualified as a solicitor...
, this working group included the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network
Gay and Lesbian Equality Network
The Gay and Lesbian Equality Network is an Irish non-governmental gay rights group, based in Dublin, Ireland. The organisation was founded in 1988 and focuses mainly on achieving change in legislation and social policy that will achieve full equality and inclusion for lesbian, gay and bisexual ...
(GLEN), the gay rights lobby organisation, who said they expected a recommendation for civil marriage. The group facilitated a conference on the topic in May 2006, as input to its reports which was attended by experts from other countries which have introduced civil unions and gay marriage. During his speech, McDowell was interrupted by members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians
Ancient Order of Hibernians
The Ancient Order of Hibernians is an Irish Catholic fraternal organization. Members must be Catholic and either Irish born or of Irish descent. Its largest membership is now in the United States, where it was founded in New York City in 1836...
opposed to the Government plans.
Outcome
Initially to report by March 2006, the group presented its report to Government in November 2006. They recommended that a civil partnership scheme would resolve most of the issues for same-sex and cohabiting couples, while providing less benefits than marriage. Offering civil marriage to gay couples would be open to constitutional challenge. They also recommended a legal presumption of partnership for couples which have lived together for three years, or have children together. No recommendations were made for couples in non-conjugalMarriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
relationships due to lack of research. The cabinet reviewed the report, but no legislation was introduced before the 2007 General election, and in the intervening period the Government rejected opposition legislation, saying that legislation should await the KAL Case Supreme Court challenge.
Response
The Report was welcomed by GLEN, the Irish Human Rights CommissionIrish Human Rights Commission
The Irish Human Rights Commission is a public body, state-funded but independent of government, that promotes and protects human rights in the Republic of Ireland. It was established in 2000 by an Act of the Oireachtas...
, and other rights organisations. Ógra Fianna Fáil
Ógra Fianna Fáil
Ógra Fianna Fáil is the youth wing of Fianna Fáil, a political party in Ireland. Within Fianna Fáil it is simply called Ógra . It was founded in 1975 by party leader Jack Lynch under the guidance of party general secretary, Séamus Brennan. In the Republic, it is active in some major Third Level...
also called for full implementation of the Report. At the same time, a number of LGBT groups, including GLEN, LGBTNoise and MarriagEquality, criticised Civil Partnership as "a separate and unequal institution".
See also
- Campaign for Homosexual Law ReformCampaign for Homosexual Law ReformThe Campaign for Homosexual Law Reform was an organisation set up to campaign for the decriminalisation of homosexuality in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in the 1970s...
(Ireland) - Recognition of same-sex unions in Ireland
- LGBT rights in the Republic of Ireland
- LGBT rights in the United Kingdom
- List of Laws and Reports on Gay and Lesbian Rights in Ireland
- LGBT rights in EuropeLGBT rights in EuropeLesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender rights are widely diverse in Europe per country. Seven out of the ten countries that have legalised same-sex marriage are situated in Europe; a further fourteen European countries have legalised civil unions or other forms of recognition for same-sex couples...
- Non-gender specific definition of Family in the Constitution, Bunreacht na hÉireann, An Teaghlach, Airteagal 41.3.1°), from Wiktionary.