Yesterday the Children and Family Relationships Bill was commenced which will give same-sex couples the legal right to adopt

Minister Fitzgerald has signed an order to commence the key provisions of the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 relating to guardianship, custody and access.

• The act enables civil partners and cohabiting couples who have lived together for three years to jointly apply to adopt, something they could previously only do individually.
• One member of a same-sex couple will be eligible for adoptive leave – this is at the discretion of the couple. The rights held by fathers in respect of parental leave will be extended to the second female partner where applicable.
• If a spouse or partner has lived with a parent for three years and looked after the child for two years, they will be able to apply for guardianship or custody.

Fitzgerald said today that the legislation recognises “the increasing diversity of family life”.

Its provisions, she said, “take a child-centred approach, making a child’s best interests the paramount consideration for a court in family law cases”.

Prior to this act, LGBT people could only adopt as individuals not as a couple.