Ireland to enact new marriage bill in July

Ireland's new marriage bill will be enacted by the end of July, a cabinet minister said on Monday.

The bill, which is currently being drafted, will enable same-sex couples to get married in the same way as opposite-sex couples.

Frances Fitzgerald, the country's minister for justice and equality, said the bill will include a provision to enable couples to convert a notification of intention to enter a civil partnership into a notification of intention to enter a marriage.

"This means that couples who have already registered their intention to enter a civil partnership will be instead able to get married once the law is enacted on the basis of the same registration of intent," she said.

"The Irish people have chosen decisively to extend the right to marry to same-sex couples. I am particularly proud that the right to marriage equality will now be enshrined in our Constitution as a result of a popular vote," she added.

Ireland approved marriage equality in Friday's nationwide referendum, with 1.2 million people voting in its favor. Endit