Inheritance Tax has forced straight Irishman to marry

Two straight Irishmen have announced their intention to marry in an effort to avoid Ireland’s large inheritance tax.

Eighty-five-year-old Matt Murphy and his best friend and care giver, Michael O’- Sullivan, have gotten married even though they are not gay. The reason is because of the high inheritance tax on a single person. They have known each other for 29 years and their relationship is platonic. They both admit that they love each other but not in a sexual way.

Murphy was worried that O’Sullivan would have to pay a 33% inheritance tax on Murphy’s Dublin home in the Stoneybatter area of Dublin. “That would place a burden around my neck,” says O’Sullivan. “But once we are married in the eyes of the government I’m his spouse and if one partner dies, the house automatically goes to the other partner.” Murphy states that after taking care of him for so long that O’Sullivan deserves to inherit the house.

A survey was carried out by Amarch Research for RTE and it revealed that a majority of the Irish public doesn’t think they’re doing anything wrong by this. Forty-six percent would support two friends marrying for tax reasons while 36% would not and 16% declared they are undecided. In O’Sullivan and Murphy’s case their immediate families are supportive and that includes O’Sullivan’s three adult children from a previous marriage. “Of course” says O’Sullivan, “he’ll tell any women that he dates in the future about his husband.” The right for samesex couples to marry in Ireland was approved by voters with the 34th amendment to the constitution in 2015