About Civil Partnerships
Marriage Equality would like to congratulate all the couples who have registered their notice of intention to enter a civil partnership with registrars all across the country since January 2011 and to the couples who have already registered their Civil Partnership, like Hugh and Barry (right)
Hugh Walsh and Barry Dignam (Photo by Audrey O'Reilly)We wish you every happiness on your special day. We'll be celebrating with you as we continue to push for equality for same-sex couples and all our families and we hope that you will too.
If you are planning your Civil Partnership, why not take a look at our Civil Partnership Supplier Directory? We've got LGBT-friendly suppliers and vendors from all over Ireland who would be happy to work with you on your big day.
What is a Civil Partnership?
The Irish Government enacted the Civil Partnership Act in 2010 as an attempt to provide some rights and recognition to same sex couples by legally recognising their relationships for the first time. Although the Civil Partnership system offers same sex couples SOME of the same rights as civil marriage, it does not include ALL the rights and responsibilities given to married couples, and therefore same sex couples do not enjoy equality. This is why Marriage Equality continues to push for civil marriage rights for same sex couples, our families and our children.
How do I register a Civil Partnership?
For more information on registering your notice of intention to enter a civil partnership, please visit the Civil Partnership section of the General Register Office's website.
What happens after we've registered our Civil Partnership?
For information on Taxation for Civil Partners, please read "Taxation and Civil Partnerships - Frequently Asked Questions on Civil Partnerships" - a new publication by the Revenue.
(NOTE - Taxation and Civil Partnerships has been updated as of January 16, 2012)
My partner and I were already married (or had a civil partnership ceremony) outside Ireland. Now that Civil Partnerships are recognised here, what do we need to do?
Under the Civil Partnership Act, most same-sex marriages or civil partnerships entered into outside Ireland will automatically be recognised as a civil partnership in Irish law, provided that they meet certain conditions.
For a full list of relationships recognised as civil partnerships in Ireland, please see:
Marriage Equality is a proud member of NELFA