The parish priest of Carna in Connemara, Fr Pádraig Standún, has spoken on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta about why he will be voting in favour of the same-sex marriage referendum. “I believe it’s the right thing to do now. It’s time that gay people had the same rights as everyone else.”

Asked if the Catholic Church’s guidelines on marriage could be separated from civil law, he replied: “Yes. The church has its own rules for marriage within it . . . but this is something different entirely. The church cannot lay down its rules for everyone.”

He said the church had an opportunity to prepare a new liturgy for same-sex couples, or others who could not marry in the church for other reasons – for example if they had been divorced – who wished to receive a blessing.

“The church has made statements saying that they respect all people, gay or straight. This is a way for them to show that this is true – that somebody can come and ask that their love be blessed. Many people in the gay community feel that the church is against them, and this would be a way to show that this isn’t so . . . We are taught that God is love.”

Fr Standún was interviewed on Nuacht a hAon on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta.