Statement: Bill to legalise Humanist weddings to pass through final stages in Seanad today

SENATOR BACIK - BILL TO LEGALISE HUMANIST WEDDINGS TO PASS THROUGH FINAL STAGES IN SEANAD TODAY

Senator Ivana Bacik
Labour Party Seanad Group Leader
2nd May 2012

Senator Ivana Bacik will today pilot the Civil Registration (Amendment) Bill 2011 through its final stages in the Seanad. This Bill will amend various sections of the Civil Registration Act 2004 – the Act which regulates the registration of civil marriages. Until now, apart fromHSE registrars, only an authorised member of a ‘religious body' may celebrate legal civil marriages. Senator Bacik's Bill, which is supported by Minister Joan Burton and has Cabinet approval, will change that by allowing members of the Humanist Association of Ireland and other non-religious bodies to carry out legal civil wedding ceremonies.

Welcoming the passage of the bill through its final stages in the Seanad today, Senator Bacik said:

“I am really delighted that this Bill, which started life as a private member's bill, is being supported by Minister Burton and the government. It already achieved cross-party support in the Seanad when I introduced it last November, and I very much hope that it will pass speedily through the Dail once it has gone through final stages in the Seanad today.

“Change is long overdue to the current situation, where only HSE registrars or members of religious bodies can officiate at civil wedding ceremonies. This does not reflect the changing reality of Irish society – we know that the proportion of couples choosing a (non-religious) civil wedding ceremony in Ireland increased from 6% in 1996 to more than 23% in 2006, and the CSO has also stated that in 2012, for the first time the number of non-religious wedding ceremonies may exceed the number of religious ceremonies.

“The Humanist Association of Ireland is a well-established and highly respected organisation which has been carrying out (non-legal) wedding ceremonies for many years – even without this change in the law, over 150 ceremonies were due to be held this year. Humanist wedding ceremonies already have legal status in Scotland, Australia and Scandinavian countries and here in Ireland, a growing number of couples seek to have Humanist wedding ceremonies even though these currently have no legal status. I am really delighted that the Government has supported this change to enable these ceremonies to have legal status. I see this Bill as making a small but important contribution to a more pluralist Ireland.”

ENDS