Madam, - Apropos of the debate on civil partnerships and their legal recognition, it will be recalled that two elderly ladies in Britain, Joyce Burden (89) and her sister Sybil (81), went to court to try to establish equal treatment under the law with cohabiting couples, whether gay or straight.
They feared that, because of inheritance tax and other charges, when one of them died they were in danger of losing the home which they had shared for years. For some inexplicable reason the ladies lost their case. Did it simply come down to money? The two ladies had a perfectly reasonable argument.
I can see no reason why two gay people who love each other and are in a committed long-term relationship should not have their right to shared property protected by law; but, for the life of me, I cannot understand why two siblings who live together should not equally be protected. The only difference is that one relationship has a sexual element. So the question is: is this sexual aspect to be rewarded in a special way by the law?
Writing in the Irish Catholic (November 8th), Martin Mansergh TD says: "It is indispensable that siblings living under the same roof should enjoy no less favourable tax arrangements on the death of one of them than any other couple that are cohabiting. I would certainly favour complete equality in all non-marital domestic partnerships". Dr Mansergh is quite right.
Explaining the unique nature of marriage in the same issue of the Irish Catholic, David Quinn writes: "Marriage is not simply a public declaration of a private, intimate and loving sexual relationship. It is also a social institution, meaning it is a way of living that meets certain important social needs and therefore receives support from society and the State".
Mr Quinn goes on to point out that the main reason marriage is supported is because the family based on marriage has shown itself to be the best place, on average, in which to raise children. I also think that David Quinn is right.
My main point is simply that if cohabiting couples, whether gay or straight, are to receive special civil recognition and protection, then the same rights should apply equally to siblings who are living together. Indeed, the love, devotion and commitment of many siblings to each other has shown itself to be far more stable and permanent than a lot of the marriages I know of. - Yours, etc,
ANTHONY REDMOND, North Great George's Street, Dublin 1.