24th July 2010

Family law lawyers in Ireland could see a rise in requirements for pre-cips soon as the Civil Partnership Bill was signed into law at the Irish President's official residence on Monday 19th July.

Pre-civil partnership agreements are the same-sex relationship equivalent of the pre-nuptial agreement and, as Irish couples will soon be able to enter into a legal union with their partner, giving them rights to property, social welfare, succession, maintenance, pensions and tax, the drawing up of a formal agreement, which creates an understanding of how financial matters would be affected should the civil partnership break down, is generally thought of as sound planning.

As Irish President Mary McAleese signed the Bill into law, Minister for Justice Dermot Aherne said it was "one of the most important pieces of civil rights legislation to be enacted since independence."

The signing of the Bill means that commensurate changes will now need to take place in the Finance Bill and Social Welfare Bill and these changes are likely to be drafted after the December budget.

Mr Aherne said that many thousands of Irish men and women would be provided with additional rights and protections as a result of the Act and that the State would be "a better place for its enactment".

It is hoped that the first civil partnership registration ceremonies will take place in January 2011.