Marriage equality arrives in Ireland today at long last.
More than 600 are waiting to wed, the Independent reports:
Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald will today sign the commencement order, with the first same-sex marriages likely to take place from today.
Regulatory and procedural issues are expected to require a 24-hour delay for marriages to take place after the commencement order brings the Marriage Act 2015 into legal effect from today.
However, same-sex marriages are already planned for tomorrow for Dublin, Cork and Galway. The new act was made possible by the overwhelming endorsement of same-sex marriage in the May 22 referendum.
The BBC adds:
It is not yet known when and where the first same-sex wedding will be held….The first newlyweds are likely to be couples who had already applied to register a civil partnership over the coming hours or days, but who now have the option to convert this into a marriage application for the same date.
Registrars have been contacting couples who fall into this category to find out their preferences.
Irish churches will not be required to marry same-sex couples.
