On, Ireland became the first country to legalise same sex marriage through nationwide referendum in favour of allowing same sex couples to wed. The only Irish political party that has officially come out in opposition to LGBT rights is the small Christian Solidarity Party, which has never been successful electorally, at either local or national level. Sexual orientation cannot, and must not, be the basis of a second-class citizenship. All citizens, regardless of sexual orientation, stand equal in the eyes of our laws. It is an essential part of who and what we are. Our sexual orientation is not an incidental attribute. In 2006, at the opening of the new headquarters of the gay rights organisation GLEN in Dublin, the then- Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said: This was mentioned as an item for the Constitutional Convention in the Programme for Government between Labour and Fine Gael after the election. īefore the 2011 general election, the Labour Party manifesto included a commitment to a referendum to allow same-sex couples to marry. There was all-party support in 2010 for the Civil Partnership Bill, introduced by the Fianna Fáil / Green government which provided for legal recognition for the relationships of same-sex couples.Īs of August 2014, all parties in the Dáil supported same-sex marriage: the Labour Party, the Green Party, the Socialist Party, Sinn Féin, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. Main article: LGBT history in Ireland Politics
