Monday, June 24, 2013

Ireland: Referendum on Gay Marriage in 2014


Last May, I posted that Ireland could be closer to allow same-sex marriage because the Irish Constitution Convention voted in favor of extending marriage rights to same-sex couples and proposed to amend the Constitution of Ireland.

Yesterday Eamon Gilmore, the Tánaiste of Ireland (deputy prime minister), has affirmed the referendum on gay marriage probably will be next year.

The Tánaiste has been asked about this topic during a question-and-answer session at an event organised by the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN).

Gilmore has answered: "The commitment we have given is that once the Constitutional Convention presents its report in respect of the part of the Constitutional Convention dealing with same-sex marriage, that report is going to be tabled I think this month, formally tabled. There is then a four-month period for the Government to consider the report of the Constitutional Convention".

He has also added: "We have committed that we will make a decision within that four-month period on what would be our response to the Constitutional Convention. Then in the case of a referendum on same-sex marriage, it would then be an issue of when that takes place after that".

And finally he has affirmed: "I suppose realistically we're probably looking at next year sometime".

Eamon Gilmore, the Tánaiste of Ireland


3 comments:

  1. I would be shocked if this passed. Ireland remains a very conservative Catholic country in many respects.

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  2. In the latest polls, a majority is in favor of gay marriage, seems the things are changing in Ireland too.

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