The Government has agreed to hold a referendum in 2015 on civil marriage for same-sex couples.

The Cabinet yesterday accepted the recommendation of Justice Minister Alan Shatter that they should follow the advice of the Constitutional Convention on putting the of same sex marriage to a referendum.

More than 15,000 same-sex couples have availed of civil partnerships since they were introduced in 2010.

The referendum on gay marriage is expected to be put to the people along with a number of other proposed Constitutional changes in the spring of 2015.