The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, has indicated that the Government is willing to grant legal recognition for tax and inheritance purposes to couples in same-sex relationships. While Mr Ahern said that marriage for homosexual couples is "a long way off", he agreed that such couples should be treated fairer within the tax and legal codes. Arthur Beesley, Political Reporter, reports.
A Government spokeswoman said last night that there was nothing to add when asked whether unmarried heterosexual couples in long-term relationships should be granted the same form of recognition.
Mr Ahern outlined his views in an interview on The Week in Politics on RTÉ last night to mark the 10th anniversary of his leadership in Fianna Fáil.
He said Mr Charles Haughey would be remembered as a "great" leader in politics, despite the scandal surrounding his tax affairs. "He did do wrong things," Mr Ahern said. "If you look at the sporting world, if a person plays 100 matches and they play a few bad ones, will they be remembered for being a great player or remembered for the few bad ones? They'll be remembered as a great player and so will Charlie Haughey."
In another interview on the Political Party on TV3, he said the next general election was likely to be his last and insisted that the Government will continue in office until the end of its mandate in summer 2007.
The Taoiseach's remarks on same-sex relationships came days after a lesbian couple - Dr Katherine Zappone and Dr Ann Louise Gilligan - went to the High Court to seek recognition for their marriage in Canada last year. Mr Ahern said he had talked to many of the gay community and people who are in same-sex relationships. "The issue that they raise with me, they say we want more equality and we want to be treated fairer. I agree with that. I totally agree with that."
He said it was wrong to group the question of marriage with the broader equality issues raised by their treatment on income tax, inheritance and in the legal code generally.
"These people who are in relationships which are not illegal, they're not immoral, they're not improper, we should try deal with some of the issues they have to surmount in their daily lives. And I think that's the fairest, caring and Christian way to deal with this."