Ireland's Minister of State at the Department of Justice & Equality, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, has indicated that a forthcoming change in legislation will ensure that public service workers will no longer face discrimination based on sexual orientation, marital status, or gender identity, reports The Journal.

The Irish government announced in June that it intended to introduce an amendment to the Employment Equality Act.

The Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI), which “has vigorously campaigned for amendment of the act in order to remove the cloud of fear and intimidation which hangs over many of our members because of its continued existence,” said that it welcomes Ó Ríordáin's commitment to amend Section 37 of the Employment Equality Act.

Ó Ríordáin said:

“This has been of particular concern to those in the education and health sectors where many schools and hospitals are funded by the state, but run by a religious order.

"The consequence of this Act can have a chilling effect on concerned workers who are divorced or are single parents, as well as members of the LGBT Community, as it can mean that they cannot be open about their status in their workplace.

"In education, it denies many young LGBT people role models, as their LGBT teachers cannot openly identify their sexuality.”

The TUI added, “It should go without saying in 2014 that nobody should be discriminated against on the basis of their sexual orientation or family status."

Ireland is set to hold a referendum on same-sex marriage in early 2015.