I am aware of the pressing need to make technical amendments to the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015, and of the impact that this issue is having on affected families, particularly same-sex female couples wishing to have the second partner entered in the register of births as the parent of their child.
My intention is to make these necessary amendments at the earliest possible opportunity. It is my intention to have these taken as Committee Stage amendments to the Social Welfare, Pensions and Civil Registration Bill 2017 .
In order to progress this matter, officials from my own Department are working with the General Register Office and the Department of Health to ensure that the appropriate legislative, regulatory, and operational mechanisms are in place to allow for the earliest possible commencement of all of the relevant legislation that will allow for birth registrations of donor-conceived children.