Two women in Cork have become the first same-sex female couple in Ireland to be legally recognised as the co-parents of their children from birth.
Niamh O'Sullivan and Geraldine Rea registered the birth of their twin girls with both their names as parents on the official birth certificates.
In May of 2020, the Children and Family Relationship Act allowed same-sex female couples to be legally recognised as co-parents of their children.
It is monumental for us and an historic step towards LGBT+ equality
Under the Act, a birth mother and intending co-parent can register with the Registrar for the Births, Deaths and Marriages as the parents of a child born as a result of a Donor Assisted Human Reproduction (DAHR) procedure.
“We were delighted when the legislation was enacted in May last year at a time when we were dreaming of becoming parents,” Ms O'Sullivan said.
“Little did we know then that fate would lead us to being the first to benefit from this new law. It is monumental for us and an historic step towards LGBT+ equality, as many children with same-sex female parents can finally vindicate their right to have their family recognised.”
Twins
Twins Réidín and Aoibhín were born in February after Ms Rea became pregnant in the summer of 2020 following donor sperm treatment.
“We had been due to have the frozen embryo transfer in March 2020, but the week of the scheduled procedure the Government lockdown came into place,” she said.
“We were rescheduled and thanks to good timing and the hard work of the team at the [Waterstone] Clinic, the transfer took place two days after restrictions were lifted for fertility clinics, and we finally became pregnant.”
