Same-sex couples to be able to marry from next month

Same-sex couples will be able to marry from the middle of next month after legislation that is the end of a “46-year-long journey” for equal rights was ratified by both houses of the Oireachtas.

The marriage bill, which is the legal document in response to May’s referendum in favour of marriage equality, passed through the second stage of the Seanad yesterday and will be signed into law by President Michael D Higgins next week.

Speaking in the Seanad as the bill was passed, Independent senator David Norris said this is “the end of a 46-year-long journey”, before asking politicians to applaud people sitting in the public gallery who had sought the right to marry for decades.

The comments were echoed by politicians from across the political divide, with Fianna Fáil’s Darragh O’Brien, Fine Gael’s Martin Conway, Labour’s Aideen Hayden and Independent Senator Averil Power all welcoming the move.

Independent senator Ronan Mullen campaigned for a no vote but said it is important to be magnanimous in defeat and stressed he abhors homophobia.

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald said the passing of the legislation was “joyous”, adding that “on May 22 the green jersey turned rainbow”.

She said once President Michael D Higgins signs the bill into law as part of formality next week, same sex couples will be able to get married by the middle of next month and can plan for Christmas weddings they had never thought possible.

Quoting ex-US president John F Kennedy, she said: “Change is the law of life and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”