This article is from page 6 of the 2014-01-28 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 6 JPG
THE number of Clare gay and lesbian couples choosing to become legal civil partners has dropped dramatically over the past year. According to figures obtained from the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN), only nine Clare couples entered into a civil partnership in the 15 months from the beginning of October 2012 to the end of December 2013.
This is contrast to the rush of civil partnership granted to Clare couples in the wake of legislation for civil partnerships being introduced. Indeed, in October of 2012, Clare had the second highest rate of civil partnerships per capita in Ireland – with only Dublin boasting more partnership per head of populations.
There has been a slowing in the number of civil partnership across Ireland over the past year. Where there is no clear data on why a slowdown has taken place, it is though possible that a rush to obtain partnerships in the months after the legislation was introduced may be the cause.
It is also understood that the possiblity of full marriage being introduced by the current government is also preventing some gay and lesbian couples from undertaking civil partnerships.
Since the civil partnership legislation became law a total of 24 Clare couples have become legal civil partners. Only four civil ceremonies have taken place in Clare to date, an increase of two on the number from October 2012.
According to Kilrush man and Di- rector of GLEN, Brian Sheehan, the uptake in civil partnerships in Ireland will prove a stepping stone to full marriage for gay couples.
The figures recorded for civil partnerships in Ireland reflect which county the partners intend to live once they have been granted an official civil partnership. Because a large portion of gay and lesbian people from Clare traditionally move to Dublin, Limerick or Galway – the true number of Clare people involved in civil partnerships is likely to be far higher than the figures suggest.