Northern Irish
gays to gain adoption rights

On Tuesday the British government announced a proposal that would--for the first time--make it legal for gay and lesbian couples in Northern Ireland to adopt. The measure would extend adoption rights to unmarried couples as well as couples who have a civil partnership. Health officials in the United Kingdom say the new approach has been "designed to put the needs of the child at the heart of the adoption process." Ireland's Breaking News reports that adoptions in Northern Ireland have fallen from an annual peak of 550 in 1970 to an average of just 150 now. Last year that figure dropped to 79. Adoptions by civil partners and unmarried couples were made legal in England and Wales last year. (Sirius OutQ News)