Madam, - Your report of March 30th, "50 per cent rise in cohabiting couples" makes interesting reading and is line with figures noted by AIM Family Services at our drop-in centre. This increase has taken place over the four-year period between the 2002 and 2006 censuses and has to be taken seriously.
In 2004 we published a booklet, A Comparative View on the Rights of Cohabitees, highlighting the anomalies that affect cohabiting couples under present law. To name a few examples:
1. Cohabiting couples cannot claim maintenance, except for children.
2. The Family Home Protection Act does not apply to unmarried couples.
3.Cohabitees are treated as single persons for the purpose of taxation.
4. Unmarried fathers do not become automatic guardians of their children.
5. Unmarried partners cannot adopt children as a couple even if the child is of one of the partners.
6. Partners do not benefit from the protection given to married couples under the Succession Act or Social Welfare legislation.
All the above disadvantages apply to same-sex couples also.
Later that year, the Government requested the All-Party Committee on the Family to examine the position. It subsequently published a comprehensive report with many worthwhile recommendations but, like a lot of reports, nothing has been heard of it since.
An election will be called in the next few weeks and a new Government will be formed. Let us ensure that this report is not lost and confined to shelves in libraries. - Yours, etc,
DEIRDRE McDEVITT, AIM Family Services, D'Olier Street, Dublin 2.