A Constitutional referendum would be needed to introduce gay marriage in Ireland, Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn has said.

Gay marriage ‘needs referendum’

Mr Quinn said the Labour Party had always supported gay marriage. But the reality was that the Constitution defined marriage, and that in order to have full gay marriage we would have to have a Constitutional referendum, Irish Times reports.

700 gay and lesbian couples tie the knot

More than 700 gay and lesbian couples have tied the knot since civil partnership was introduced last year.

Same-sex civil partnerships now account for 2.6% of all partnerships in Ireland. Of the 734 same-sex couples who entered into civil partnerships, 448 were gay couples and 286 were lesbian, the Irish Examiner reports.