Gay adoption exists in the Republic, sort of.....

As the row between churches and government in the UK over gay adoption flares up, what's the position in the Republic? According to Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Seamus Brennan TD, only married couples and individuals can adopt in Ireland. The Minister was speaking on RTE's Questions and Answers last night. I have certainly heard anecdotal evidence that gay couples have managed to "adopt" under these provisions. I have put the word "adopt" in quotation marks because apparently the child in these cases is adopted by just one member of the couple. If they break up, then the other member, it would appear, has no rights in relation to the child. I expect it will be left to the courts to sort this one out in some future constitutional case. In Britain, church adoption agencies will be denied the right to discriminate against gay couples from the end of next year. Expect a very big row between churches and government right up to the deadline. Meanwhile, in that bastion of liberalism, Northern Ireland, discrimination against gays in relation to adoption is already outlawed.....