Northern Ireland to debate equal marriage on April 29

The Northern Ireland Assembly is due to debate equal marriage later this month (April 29).

The motion has been tabled by Sinn Fein, who along with the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) and Alliance parties are in strong favour of marriage equality.

The debate comes a year after a motion in favour of equal marriage was defeated in the Assembly by 53 to 42, following opposition from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), who hold a slight majority in the province.

The DUP previously tabled petitions of concern to block equal marriage in October 2012 and April 2013.

First Minister Peter Robinson and Health Minister Edwin Poots are among politicians who have publicly opposed equal marriage in Northern Ireland, while Poots has also been a vocal opponent against lifting the ban on gay men donating blood.

Although civil partnerships were introduced to Northern Ireland in 2005 along with the rest of the UK, equal marriage is a devolved power issue in the province, which is now the only part of the country where the measure has yet to be passed.

The first same-sex weddings took place in England and Wales last month, and Scotland passed its own bill on the issue in February.

The Republic of Ireland will hold a referendum on equal marriage in 2015, which will be supported by the government and all major parties. The latest Red C poll for Paddy Power shows that 76% of the public are in favour of the measure.