A motion supporting same-sex marriage will be debated in the Northern Ireland Assembly later this month – despite MLAs rejecting a similar move in October last year.
In October’s debate, Northern Ireland’s Finance Minister said he believed there was no widespread demand in the Province to redefine marriage.
But now a new motion, tabled by three Sinn Fein MLAs, will be debated at Stormont on 29 April.
No mention
It calls for the Northern Ireland Executive “to bring forward the necessary legislation to allow for same sex marriage”.
It follows moves in the Republic of Ireland towards having a referendum on same-sex marriage.
But the Sinn Fein motion in the Northern Ireland Assembly does not mention a referendum for the Province.
Force
When last year’s motion to support redefining marriage was rejected, Finance Minister Sammy Wilson said: “I am opposed to gay marriage, I would have no intention of bringing forward any legislation to this House to facilitate gay marriage and I believe that in doing that I do reflect what is the general view in this society in Northern Ireland.”
He said there were many other issues the Assembly should be debating, such as the economy.
Last month two groups that support gay marriage said legal action could be used to force redefinition on Northern Ireland.
Amnesty International and a gay lobby group in the Province said a legal challenge could be made if marriage is not redefined in Northern Ireland, but is in the rest of the UK.
Liberty
In February this year the Westminster Parliament saw most Conservative MPs vote against David Cameron’s plans to redefine marriage.
In Scotland a consultation has recently finished on the details of a same-sex marriage Bill, with concerns raised about the civil liberty protections in the proposed legislation.