Irish Republic prepares gay marriage vote - will it leave NI even more out of step? #BBCNolan

The Taoiseach Enda Kenny has told the Dáil that the Marriage Equality referendum will take place in spring 2015. Mr Kenny last year said the Government would campaign for same-sex marriage in the referendum. Derval McDonald, the Irish Independent's Associate Editor and Legal Editor, explains more about the background to the situation in the Republic.