Off the wire
• FM: overseas NGOs should not undermine China's security, stability  • Israeli PM "regrets" defense minister's resignation  • German companies threaten to scale back investment if Britain leaves EU  • Cacic: Whole Croatia would be sad if we fail  • Roundup: Investors urge Cameroon to remove tax, administrative barriers  • NATO to sustain training mission in Afghanistan  • Full text of mainland's Taiwan affairs authorities' statement on cross-Straits relations  • Xi expresses condolences over EgyptAir plane crash  • Roundup: Former European Commission chief in Cameroon hails China, Africa cooperation  • UN expert highlights disabled people's rights ahead of World Humanitarian Summit  
You are here: 　 Home

412 same-sex couples in Ireland married since referendum

Xinhua, May 20, 2016 Adjust font size:

There have been 412 same-sex couples married in Ireland since the marriage equality referendum almost one year ago, according to official figures on Friday.

The figures from the Department of Social Protection showed that Dublin accounted for over half of all marriages, with 213 registered since the Marriage Act 2015 was signed into law last November.

Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar welcomed these figures, saying that the marriage equality referendum was a historic day for Ireland.

"One year on, it's really great to see that 412 marriages have now taken place which otherwise would not have happened. It's a timely reminder of that momentous vote on that momentous day," he said.

In late May last year, Ireland officially passed the same-sex marriage referendum with 1.2 million people voting in its favor. The Yes vote prevailed by 62 to 38 percent with a large 60.5 percent turnout. It became the first country in the world to legalize marriage equality by popular vote. Endit