MEDIA RELEASE: 10TH NOVEMBER 2015
Commencement Ceremony for Marriage Act
The commencement orders for the Marriage Act and related legislation will be signed today at
5.00pm in George’s Hall, Dublin Castle by the Minister for Justice, Frances Fitzgerald TD and Tánaiste
Joan Burton TD.
The orders will mean that from Monday 16th of November, 2015 lesbian and gay couples will be able
to get married in Ireland.
“Today we celebrate the final legal step in the remarkable Irish journey to equality for lesbian and
gay people. From next week lesbian and gay couples will be apply to get married and share in the
same constitutional status as every other citizen” said Kieran Rose, GLEN Co-Chair.
“It is a truly joyful and historic moment, not just for lesbian and gay people, their families and
friends, but for all Irish people. It is the end of a long legal journey that began with decriminalisation
in 1993, equality legislation in 1990s, Civil Partnership in 2010 and culminated in the passing of the
marriage equality referendum in May. The Tánaiste and Minster Fitzgerald are to be congratulated
for the role they have played in that journey As we approach the centenary of 1916 we can
celebrate the Irish people’s determination, as shown in the referendum result, to continue to make
the words of the proclamation real for all” Rose continued.
“There is further work to be done to ensure that the extraordinary support and goodwill of the
Irish people is translated into real change in the daily lives of LGBT people. Together we can create
an Ireland where this and future generations of LGBT people can achieve their full potential in
school, in work and in wider society on the same basis as all others” said Rose.
For further details contact:
Tiernan Brady
Sandra Irwin Gowran
087 8505972
087 7960615
www.twitter.com/@glenLGBT
www.glen.ie
Editors Notes:
1. GLEN have produced an infographic illustrating how lesbian and gay couples can avail of their
right to marry under the new legislation. The infographic is available here
2. The journey to marriage is a thirty year journey that began with the decriminalisation of
homosexuality in 1993, and continued through equality legislation and other key legislative
provisions, in particular the groundbreaking Civil Partnership Act of 2010 which for the first time
recognised lesbian and gay relationships. This year the Children and Family Relationships Act was
also passed which recognises and protects lesbian and gay headed families with children for the
first time.
3. The Marriage Act removes the current obstacles in legislation that prevent a lesbian or gay
couple from marrying. The Bill also protects religious bodies to ensure that, if they choose not
to, they cannot be compelled to marry lesbian or gay couples. Existing civil partners will have the
choice to marry, but may also choose to remain as civil partners all their lives. Marriages abroad
of lesbian and gay couples will be automatically recognised in Ireland from Monday 16th
November, 2015.
4. GLEN, Marriage Equality and the Irish Council for Civil Liberties established the Yes Equality
campaign to lead the Yes campaign in the marriage equality referendum, passed overwhelmingly
by the Irish people on 22nd May 2015. Brian Sheehan from GLEN and Gráinne Healy from
Marriage Equality were the co-Directors of the Yes Equality campaign.