Northern Ireland for the third time has rejected a motion calling for the introduction of same-sex marriage.
Amnesty International has said that Northern Ireland’s politicians will not be able to keep opposing same-sex marriage, and legal action may be necessary. Patrick Corrigan, Amnesty's programme director in Northern Ireland, said: "States may not discriminate with regards to the right to marry and found a family on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. That obligation is clear in international law. This means that marriage should be available to same-sex couples in Northern Ireland, just as it is now in England and Wales and will shortly be in Scotland."
The motion for same-sex marriage was put forward by Sinn Féin but was rejected by the Democratic Unionists by 51 votes to 43.
Northern Ireland is now the only country in the UK that has not introduced same-sex marriage. Bulletin readers may recall that the first gay marriages took place in England and Wales last month. Click here to read the relevant Bulletin article. Scotland has passed the same-sex marriage into law and the first gay marriages are expected to take place there in October. Despite the fact that it is now possible to enter into a same-sex marriage in England and Wales these marriages are only treated a civil partnerships in Northern Ireland.
The referendum on same-sex marriage in the Republic of Ireland will take place next year.
Click here to read a report on the rejection of the motion for the introduction of same-sex marriage in the Journal.ie
Click here to read an article in the Guardian about the development.