The introduction of legislation allowing civil marriage for same-sex couples does not have the majority backing of the Government, a Green Party TD said.
Deputy Ciarán Cuffe said he and his party backed marriage equality but did not have the support in Government of the majority partner. "At the end of the day politically it boils down to six versus 78," he said.
Despite promises of legislation, there is no recognition of civil partnership or marriage for same-sex couples in this State.
Forms of civil partnership for same-sex couples have been available in most EU countries for some time, while gay marriage is legal in the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain. The Government said it would publish a civil partnership Bill later this year. However, gay and lesbian couples say civil partnership will not guarantee the same rights as civil marriage, and are calling for parity with the rights of married heterosexuals.
Mr Cuffe said his party had been putting pressure on Fianna Fáil to introduce civil marriage. He said a commitment was in place to develop the heads of a Bill on the subject before the end of March.
He was speaking at the launch of a campaign to have the Civil Registration Act amended to open civil marriage to gay and lesbian couples.
The lobby group, MarriagEquality, said that with political will and cross-party agreement, the Act, which provides for the reorganisation of the registration of marriages, could be changed without a referendum.
Gráinne Healy, MarriagEquality co-chair, said that throughout the debate on the subject, the Constitution had been presented as an unmovable obstacle to civil marriage for gay and lesbian couples.
"Instead of presenting a constitutional referendum as a fait accompli, politicians should find out first by amending the 2004 Act and then see what happens. This would be progressive and brave legislating on behalf of all citizens," she said.
The MarriagEquality campaign has received strong backing from TDs, Senators, equality organisations and trade union groups. It also launched a campaign encouraging gays and lesbians, their families and friends to visit their TDs and Senators to tell them why marriage is so important to them.
The initiative "You Are Not Out Til You Are Out to Your TD" follows a Spanish example where personal visits helped legislators better understand that the needs of gay and lesbian families are the same as those of all families.
"We are not looking for special rights, we are simply looking for the same rights as everyone else," Ms Healy said.
David Quinn of Catholic think- tank the Iona Institute said that while the institute favoured the development of rights for same-sex couples, recognising same-sex marriage would be an attack on the right of children to a mother and father.
"Marriage is a social institution directed primarily, though not exclusively, towards the welfare of children . . . it seeks to ensure that as many children as possible are raised by their mothers and fathers. For this reason it is intrinsically heterosexual."
