Labour Party Conference calls for constitutional referendum to enable same sex couples to marry

3 Apr 2009

Last weekend at the Labour Party Conference in Mullingar, Labour Party members voted on and passed a motion restating their support for equal marriage rights for same sex couples and calling for a referendum on the issue at the earliest opportunity.

The Labour Party believe that a referendum is necessary before equal marriage rights could be made law. Whereas MarriagEquality's postion is that we believe the matter is yet to be decided by the Supreme Court in the Zappone and Gilligan case, we are delighted that the Labour Party have shown such strength of conviction and support.

The full text of the Motion was as follows:

Justice, Equality & Law Reform:
68. Civil Unions:
"Conference:
1) Supports a constitutional referendum at the earliest appropriate opportunity to enable
same sex couples to marry,
2) Restates it conviction that pending a constitutional referendum on the issue, legislation to
recognise same sex relationships must extend the full range of rights and duties of marriage
to same sex couples who choose to register their union,
3) Commends the Parliamentary Party for publishing the Civil Unions Bill 2006, as the
only measure so far published that is based on a full commitment to equality and parity of
esteem, and notes with disappointment the decision of the parties in Government to defeat
that Bill in 2007,
4) Further notes and condemns the delay on the part of Government since June 2008 in
failing to progress its own draft scheme of a Civil Partnership Bill or to provide any details
of related tax and social welfare measures, and
5) Calls on the Parliamentary Party to reintroduce its Civil Union Bill if no substantive
proposals are published by the Government by the end of this session."
National Executive Committee