Regina Doherty, Social Protection Minister, has confirmed Government approval for the preparation of the Civil Registration Bill 2019, which introduces vital new changes for LGBT+ parents in Ireland.

Parental rights of same-sex couples on birth certificates of children born through donor-assisted births have now been officially affirmed.

According to the Department of Social Protection, the Civil Registration Bill will; “resolve a number of difficulties in the registration of donor-assisted births and will be brought forward as a priority”.

“This bill will extend the required particulars for registration of a birth to include ‘parent’ on a birth certificate,” the Department continued.

“At present, birth certificates issued in respect of donor-assisted children born to same-sex couples only allow for the recording of the mother’s details," it said, highlighting issues for lesbian parents.

“These changes will facilitate the registration and re-registration of births of children of same-sex female couples, and this will affirm their parental rights.”

Parents of non-donor assisted children may also utilise the label “parent”, if they so desire.

Regina Doherty expressed her happiness surrounding the crucial changes;

“While the changes proposed will affect a relatively small number of people, they touch on matters that are very sensitive and of great importance to those families affected."

She continued; "I have met with and spoken to many affected by this issue and I am now very pleased to be able to bring these changes forward as a priority to ensure that they can be introduced as soon as possible."

The bill will be published and brought before the Houses of the Oireachtas hopefully early in early spring.