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On 22 May 2015, Ireland held a referendum on same-sex marriage. The referendum questioned whether the electorate would agree to adding the clause, “marriage may be contracted in accordance with law by two persons without distinction as to their sex”, to Article 41 of the Irish Constitution. Results revealed that 62.07 percent of those who participated in the referendum voted in favour of same-sex marriage, making Ireland the first country to legalise same-sex marriage by popular vote.

Following the results, the Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald TD, announced legislative plans to be introduced into the Houses of the Oirechtas by June 2015.

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