Lesbian couple to get hearing in Ireland

A judge in Ireland ruled Tuesday a lesbian couple married in Canada can ask to have their marriage legally recognized in Ireland.

Justice Liam McKechnie of Ireland's High Court ruled Ann Louise Gilligan and Katherine Zappone, married in the Canadian province of British Columbia, should receive a full hearing, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported.

The couples want the Irish Revenue Commissioners to allow them fto ile their tax returns as a couple, rather than individually, so they can pay less in taxes.

Homosexuality was deemed illegal in Ireland until 1993, but in the Netherlands and Belgium same-sex marriage is allowed, Other European countries have given homosexual couples inheritance, tax and child-rearing rights similar to those of heterosexual couples.

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