Labour LGBT Statement regarding the death of Eoin Collins
Labour LGBT, the Irish Labour Party Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Trans group are paying tribute to Eoin Collins who died on Tuesday 1st February 2022.
Speaking about Eoin Collins, Labour LGBT Co Chairs James Joy and Catherine Arnold said “Eoin Collins was an enormous influence in changing Irelands’ laws on LGBT Equality and how Ireland treated LGBT people. He served as Director of Policy Change in the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network from 2005 to 2011 and worked in Nexus Research from 1991. In his role in GLEN he undertook an extensive amount of work lobbying and preparing the legal ground for Civil Partnership and indeed Marriage Equality in Ireland. He was appointed by the Irish Government to the Working Group chaired by Anne Colley in 2006, the report of which provided the basis for the enactment of a civil partnership model based on marriage. Eoin was instrumental in its final report recommending Marriage Equality. During this time Eoin was also member of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform Working Group on Equality Proofing and was liaison to the Department of Justice on sexual orientation issues.
Prior to this Eoin also worked extensively in the areas of policy change on LGBT issues. He co authored a report with Brian Sheehan in 2004 for the Equality Authority “Access to health services for transsexual people”. This report was influential as a strong impetus to bring legal change for Irish Transgender people. During his time in Nexus research he was involved in extensive policy research affecting LGBT people. He contributed extensively to researching poverty amongst Irelands gay and lesbian community in the 1990s. In 2000 He also wrote a report for Nexus Research “Promoting Equality for Lesbians and Gay Men: Scoping Study on International Best Practice”. In 1995 Eoin also co edited a ground breaking book “Lesbian and Gay Visions of Ireland” a rich socio political reflection on where Irish Gay Men and Lesbians were and their then hopes for Irelands future”
We send condolences to Eoins family at this time and salute his work in creating a more equal Ireland for his LGBT peers and generations to come.” Concluded Joy and Arnold.