The Cabinet has signed off on a new bill to rewrite the law on adoption, guardianship and parentage.

The Children and Family Relationships Bill is being hailed as the most important change in family law since the foundation of the State.

However the bill itself will not be published until Thursday.

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald says the legislation takes different family types into account:

Minister Fitzgerald also spoke to reporters about a proposed national register of donors that will allow children to track their genetic identity:

Fianna Fáil's justice spokesperson Niall Collins says the party will be supporting the legislation in the Dáil and Seanad:

A group that represents unmarried parents has welcomed the new bill - but says it does not improve the rights of unmarried fathers who don't live with the mother.

Treoir says the provisions are discriminatory because they require a father to have lived with the mother of his child for 12 months before he can apply for guardianship.

It is advising unmarried fathers to seek a declaration of joint guardianship with their partner - but warns that there is no central database.

Margaret Dromey from Treoir is urging the government to establish a database because if a declaration is lost the father will not be able to exercise his rights:

The approval comes as the government looks to clarify issues of parentage and adoption well ahead of campaigning in earnest for the same-sex marriage referendum in May.

It is expected to allow gay couples and wider family members including grandparents to apply for guardianship rights.

Meanwhile, the health minister has brought forward proposals to address surrogacy and assisted reproduction, with laws now set to be drafted. Under the bill, commercial surrogacy is likely to be banned and at least one person involved in the surrogacy arrangement will have to be a genetic parent.

The Taoiseach Enda Kenny says the new bills are crucial and will get due care - while Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin says it was important to have all the details right.