Two heterosexual Irish men marry to avoid paying €50,000 inheritance tax on house

Two heterosexual men said they got married to avoid paying €50,000 inheritance tax on a house.

Best friends Matt Murphy, 83, and Michael O’Sullivan, 58, decided to get married after releasing how much tax Mr Murphy would have to pay on the home he planned to leave Mr O’Sullivan, his carer, in his will.

Realising Mr O'Sullivan would face a crippling tax bill after Mr Murphy’s death, the two Irishmen tied the knot in Dublin earlier this year.

Mr O’Sullivan told the Irish Mirror he became his friend’s carer after he was diagnosed with giant cell arteritis, but that he could not afford to pay him for it.

He told the newspaper: “Eventually Matt said the only way he could pay me was to leave me the house. He said he would give me the house so I have somewhere to live when he goes.

“I told him that it was a great idea but that I would have to sell the house as I would have to pay inheritance tax, massive tax.

He added: “He was chatting a friend down the country in Cashel, Co Tipperary, and she jokingly said we should get married.

“Then one night he turned around and said it to me and I said I would marry him.”

Same-sex marriage was legalised in Ireland following a referendum in May 2015.

Mr O’Sullivan paid tribute to Ireland’s LGBT community.

“The equality gay and lesbian people did for this country, that they fought hard for, they were discriminated against for most of their lives, they got equality for themselves but also for everybody else,” he said.

After the ceremony, Mr O’Sullivan said: “I love Matt and he loves me, as friends.”