Hi everyone,
As you know it has been a very long time since we were able to update you on our efforts (and the efforts of many many others) to have Parts 2, 3 and 9 of the Children and Family Relarionships Act implemented.
Before Summer recess at the Dàil, we were invited to sit in the viewing gallery and observe important discussions concerning the above issue. We left there assured that the important steps needed to implement Parts 2 and 3 of CAFRA would be commenced in the Autumn of 2018.
That deadline has been missed and we contacted Senator Fintan Warfield who has been relentlessly trying to help and resolve these issues which are affecting our family and many others. He subsequently raised the issue at the Dàil again. We have also emailed all of the TDs again.
Today we were also saddened to see the following statement from LGBT �️� Ireland concerning Part 9 of the Act..
29th November 2018
Statement from LGBT Ireland on the Commencement of Part 9 of the Children and Families Relationship Act (CFRA) 2015 that is with The Department of Social Protection.
LGBT Ireland met with senior civil servants from the Department of Social Protection on the outstanding issue of Part 9 of the Children and Families Relationship Act (CFRA) 2015, the outcome of this meeting was disappointing and unexpected as the Department officials advised that there are technical errors in the provisions as they currently stand in the Act and that it is proposed that these amendments be corrected by means of Committee Stage amendments to the Social Welfare, Pensions and Civil Registration Bill 2017 and this is a lengthy process and this would push the commencement into next year ( 2019).
In light of this information LGBT Ireland has written to Minister Regina Doherty (today) to request that they consider other options to speed up the process and we have sought clarification from the Minister on her proposed approach to resolve this issue which is causing huge stress and upset for same sex parents and their children.
For the families affected and their allies, we would urge making contact directly with all of your local TDs and call on them to raise this with the Minister for Social Protection to establish her proposals to resolve this unacceptable situation.
Needless to say we are no closer to rectifying this mess than we were when we started this petition. Aside from a few false promises of change to come and a couple of steps in what seemed the right direction, we, and everyone else affected by this, are STILL not being heard.
If you know someone in this situation or you just want to help, PLEASE contact your local TDs and ask what they are doing to resolve it. We need allies to help fight for us at this stage.
As an Irish citizen I (Amanda) feel embarrassed and tormented by my country. I feel my daughter and my wife (who has lived here and paying her taxes for over 7 years) have been extremely let down by this country. I feel certain that my great great Grandfather James Connolly, a signatory of the Irish Proclamation of Independence would be disgusted to know Ireland does not in fact “cherish all of its children equally”.
The Irish government has a lot going on and we understand this but they will always have a lot going on and we feel that we are being ignored even still. Children of LGBT Parents are being denied their rights to corrected birth certificates and this leads to many stressful issues including being denied passports. The simple fact is many children in Ireland (this great land that the world seems to love) are being held hostage by their own state.
We will continue to fight this for our children and we won’t sit down and be quiet.
Thank you for sticking around. We hope to have some positive news (some decade soon)...
Amanda and Lesley. X.