"As a result of the referendum you can now have exactly the same thing but call it marriage."
You think so?
The referendum was on changing the Irish constitution (as has been pointed out, a necessary procedure.
The next step is to draft the result into law.
What do you think will happen now - that the government will go against the spirit of the decision and draft half-arsed legislation leaving the situation exactly the same, with changed wording?
Don't think so really - you ain't seen nuffin' yet.
I would have thought that the Irish government has its hands far too full with opposing the will of the majority of the people in respect to water charges and property taxes to take on the Irish population over same-sex marriage.
What I am hoping for is that the church refuses to perform same-sex marriages, leaving themselves wide open to legal action on discrimination on the basis of gender.
Despite your claims of support for gay marriage, you still (virtually single-handedly) attempt to denigrate and undermine the overwhelming result of the referendum - we call it 'begrudgery' over here.
This has been tremendous victory - for gays and for the will of the people - especially in respect to the Neanderthal-like stance of the church
Jim Carroll