700 gay and lesbian couples tie the knot

More than 700 gay and lesbian couples have tied the knot since civil partnership was introduced last year.

Same-sex civil partnerships now account for 2.6% of all partnerships in Ireland. Of the 734 same-sex couples who entered into civil partnerships, 448 were gay couples and 286 were lesbian.

The Civil Partnership Bill was passed by the Dáil on Jul 1, 2010 and came into force on Jan 1, 2011. So far, 50% of all civil partnerships have taken place in Dublin, with every county celebrating at least one.