Back معاملة المثليين في جمهورية أيرلندا Arabic LGBT práva v Irsku Czech Droits LGBT en Irlande (pays) French זכויות להט"ב באירלנד HE Hak LGBT di Republik Irlandia ID Diritti LGBT in Irlanda Italian Sytuacja prawna i społeczna osób LGBT w Irlandii Polish Права ЛГБТ в Ирландии Russian Položaj LGBT osoba u Irskoj Serbo-Croatian Të drejtat LGBT në Irlandë Albanian

LGBT rights in the Republic of Ireland

"LGBT rights in Ireland" redirects here. For the situation in Northern Ireland, see LGBT rights in Northern Ireland.
See also: LGBT culture in Ireland

LGBT rights in Ireland
Location of Ireland (dark green)

– in Europe (light green & dark grey)
– in the European Union (light green)  –  [Legend]

StatusLegal since 1993, with an equal age of consent
Gender identityTransgender people can change legal gender by self-declaration since 2015
MilitaryAllowed to serve openly
Discrimination protectionsSexual orientation protections (see below)
Family rights
Recognition of relationshipsSame-sex marriage since 2015
AdoptionFull adoption rights since 2017

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights in the Republic of Ireland are regarded as some of the most progressive in Europe and the world.[1][2][3] Ireland is notable for its transformation from a country holding overwhelmingly conservative attitudes toward LGBT issues, in part due to the opposition by the Roman Catholic Church, to one holding overwhelmingly liberal views in the space of a generation.[4] In May 2015, Ireland became the first country to legalise same-sex marriage on a national level by popular vote. The New York Times declared that the result put Ireland at the "vanguard of social change".[5] Since July 2015, transgender people in Ireland can self-declare their gender for the purpose of updating passports, driving licences, obtaining new birth certificates, and getting married.[6] Both male and female expressions of homosexuality were decriminalised in 1993, and most forms of discrimination based on sexual orientation are now outlawed. Ireland also forbids incitement to hatred based on sexual orientation. Article 41 of the Constitution of Ireland explicitly protects the right to marriage irrespective of sex.

In 2015, a survey of 1,000 individuals in Ireland found that 78% of people supported same-sex marriage and 71% of people thought that same-sex couples should be allowed to adopt. In the same-sex marriage referendum result of the same year, 62% of voters supported same-sex marriage.[7][8] A 2013 survey showed that 73% of Irish people agreed that "same-sex marriage should be allowed in the Constitution".[9][10] Earlier, a 2008 survey showed that 84% of Irish people supported civil marriage or civil partnerships for same-sex couples, with 58% supporting full marriage rights in registry offices. The number who believed same-sex couples should only be allowed to have civil partnerships fell from 33% to 26%.[11] A March 2011 The Sunday Times poll showed support for full civil marriage rights at 73%.[12]

In July 2010, the Oireachtas passed the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010, recognising civil partnerships between same-sex couples. The bill passed all stages in the lower house (Dáil), without the need for a vote, and by a margin of 48 votes to 4 in the Seanad (Senate). The bill was supported by all parties, although individual politicians criticised the legislation.[13] Since the civil partnership legislation has been fully enacted and implemented from the start of 2011,[14] gay and lesbian couples have been able to register their relationship before a registrar.[15] The bill was signed by President Mary McAleese on 19 July 2010.[16] The Minister for Justice signed the commencement order for the act on 23 December 2010, and it came into force on 1 January 2011. Due to the three-month waiting period for all civil ceremonies in Ireland, it had been expected that the first civil partnership ceremonies would take place in April.[17] However, the legislation does provide a mechanism for exemptions to be sought through the courts, and the first partnership, which was between two men, was registered on 7 February 2011.[18] The first publicly celebrated Irish civil partnership under the Act took place in Dublin on 5 April 2011.[19] On 6 April 2015, the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 was signed into law, amending (among other acts) the Adoption Act 2010, and on 19 July 2017 the Adoption (Amendment) Act 2017 was signed into law. These laws amended Irish adoption law to enable same-sex couples to adopt children.[20]

In June 2017, Leo Varadkar, who came out as gay in 2015, was appointed as Ireland's Taoiseach (Head of Government), and thus became the fourth openly gay head of state/government in the world.[21]

  1. ^ "Ireland is 9th most gay-friendly nation in the world, says new poll • GCN". GCN. 22 July 2015. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  2. ^ "New NXF research shows broad acceptance of LGBTQ+ identities in Ireland". GCN. 2 March 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  3. ^ Hansford, Amelia (14 January 2024). "Irish cabinet minister comes out as gay in heartwarming post". PinkNews. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  4. ^ "Where Did Ireland Go? Abortion Vote Stuns Those on Both Sides". The New York Times. 27 May 2018. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  5. ^ "Ireland Votes to Approve Gay Marriage, Putting Country in Vanguard". The New York Times. 23 May 2015.
  6. ^ Dan MacGuill (3 June 2015). "The Irish state will now accept trans people's own declaration of their gender". TheJournal.ie.
  7. ^ "Ireland says Yes to same-sex marriage". RTÉ.ie. 23 May 2015.
  8. ^ "Family Values: 54% would be willing to help a relative die". Irish Times. 21 March 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  9. ^ McEnroe, Juno (23 February 2012). "Poll: 73% of public back allowing same-sex marriage in Constitution". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
  10. ^ "Overwhelming Majority Support Gay Marriage in Ireland". Gay Community News. Archived from the original on 2 March 2012. Retrieved 14 March 2012. A new Red C poll shows that 73% are in agreement with the statement "same sex marriage should be allowed in the Constitution"
  11. ^ "Increased support for gay marriage – Survey". breakingnews.ie. 31 March 2008. Archived from the original on 18 October 2014. Retrieved 1 April 2008.
  12. ^ "Poll: Three-Quarters In Favour Of Gay Marriage". Archived from the original on 29 March 2012.
  13. ^ "Civil partnership bill backed by Irish politicians". BBC News. 1 July 2010. Retrieved 11 July 2010.
  14. ^ Connolly, Niamh (11 July 2010). "Civil unions will have to wait until 2011". Thepost.ie. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011. Retrieved 9 January 2011.
  15. ^ "Dáil passes Civil Partnership Bill". The Irish Times. 2 July 2010. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 4 July 2010.
  16. ^ "Civil Partnership Bill signed into law". The Irish Times. 19 July 2010. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 9 January 2011.
  17. ^ "Ahern announces commencement of Civil Partnership and Cohabitants Act". Justice.ie. Retrieved 9 January 2011.
  18. ^ "First civil partnership ceremony for same-sex couple". irishexaminer.com. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
  19. ^ "First Irish public civil partnership services". RTÉ.ie. 5 April 2011. Archived from the original on 30 August 2011.
  20. ^ Oireachtas (6 April 2015). "Final text of the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015" (PDF). Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  21. ^ McDonald, Henry (3 June 2017). "Leo Varadkar, gay son of Indian immigrant, to be next Irish PM". The Guardian.

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