Equality Conference Hodson Bay Hotel Athlone March 2010 ( Reference Frances Byrne OPEN )

 The two parent family based on marriage  The two parent family- co-habiting  The one parent family  Grandparents rearing children  Who else?

 Parent(s) with children in another country  Children with parent(s) in another country  LGBT headed families

 Are childless couples a family?  Are two siblings sharing a household a family?  Are an aunt/uncle or nephew/niece sharing a household a family?

2008 Statistics  75,065 births  50,221 within marriage  24,844 outside marriage, of these more than half (12,859) were to co-habiting parents

 Rights of families and members of families  Respect and recognition of all family types  Strong poverty link with family status

 Sanctions unequal treatment of families NOT based on marriage  Fails to protect children born outside marriage

 Immigration policy on family reunification mirrors constitutional provisions  Partners can be excluded from hospital and other settings  Unmarried fathers have to seek guardianships of their children

 Relationships between lesbian and gay couples not recognised in law  LGBT couples and lone parents can’t adopt  Social welfare system based on ‘male breadwinner’ model