Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said yesterday that a range of civil union options for gay and lesbian couples will be examined by the Government later this year.
While he did not say whether legislation would be published in the lifetime of the Government, he said the Coalition was "unequivocally in favour of treating gay and lesbian people as fully equal citizens in our society".
Mr Ahern was speaking at the official opening of new offices for the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (Glen), in what organisers said was the first official launch of a gay and lesbian project.
The Taoiseach said legislating for civil partnerships was "complex and challenging" and would need to be consistent with the Constitution. "Legislating for civil partnerships requires thinking through a host of related matters. The British Civil Partnership Act (2004) has 264 sections and 30 schedules. Moreover, our written Constitution gives rise to complexities that did not arise in the British case," he said.
"This challenge, however, is one that the Government is determined to meet. We are committed to legislating on this issue."
Minister for Justice Michael McDowell had established a working group on domestic partnership chaired by Anne Colley, which includes Government officials and members of Glen, and was due to report by October this year, Mr Ahern said.
It will provide an analysis of categories of partnerships and relationships outside marriage to which legal effect and recognition may be given. As well as this, it will identify options over the extent to which legal recognition may be given to alternative forms of partnership, including those entered into outside the State.
The deliberations of the Oireachtas Committee report on the Constitution and the Law Reform Commission will inform the work of the group, as will a report being prepared by the Human Rights Commission on protections under international law for unmarried couples.
Kieran Rose, chair of Glen, said gay law reform and equality legislation meant there was now a young generation of gay and lesbian people who had no memory of being criminalised and took the equality framework for granted.
"These young gay people, like their heterosexual peers, have high expectations for themselves and their society and see no reason why their horizons should be limited," he said.
Mr Rose said there was no reason why Ireland should not aim to become the sixth country in the world to provide for civil marriage for lesbians and gay men.
"Of course, we welcome progress towards that goal," he added.
Mr Rose said research showed that the most successful places were those that were open and inclusive, as they were able to generate and attract a pool of creative and talented people.
As a result, Glen intended to develop an initiative about employers valuing and benefiting from diversity.
