A legal challenge about gay people adopting children in Northern Ireland has been adjourned until the new year, it has emerged this week.
The case, brought by the NI Human Rights Commission, will now be heard in March.
The commission claim the current arrangement discriminates against unmarried and civil
partnership couples. They want legislative change which would bring adoption laws into line with the
rest of the UK.
It comes after confusion has arisen over a prohibition on adoption
for civil partnership within Stormont legislation – the legislative power over almost all aspects of Northern Ireland life.
At first, this was described as an error, but yesterday the court heard from representatives of the Department of Public Health that it was intentional.
Mr Justice Treacy granted the adjournment to allow the commission's lawyers time to study the legislation, the BBC report.
"How on earth a massive mistake like that could have been
communicated to the House of Lords and nobody saw fit to (correct it), I
have great difficulty in understanding," he said.
The challenge has been backed by a lesbian woman and her partner who want to adopt a child together.
