NI Gay Marriage Timeline

December 2005

The Civil Partnership Act 2004 comes into effect throughout the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland, which gives samesex couples some of the rights and protections that married couples enjoy.

December 2005

Shannon Sickles and Grainne Close exchange vows at Belfast City Hall, becoming the first couple to enter into a civil union in Northern Ireland. Chris Flanagan and Henry Kane become the first male couple to have a civil union.

October 2012

The first attempt at legislating for gay marriage is defeated after the DUP tabled a ‘petition of concern’ which required the measure to obtain cross-community support. The petition is a mechanism built into Northern Irish institutions as part of the peace process, in order to rule out a return to unionist domination over politics.

April 2013

The DUP and their fellow unionists join forces to narrowly defeat a second attempt at legislating same-sex marriage. The motion, tabled by Sinn Féin, receives support from SDLP, Alliance and the Green party. Once again the DUP tables a petition of concern.

April 2014

A third attempt is made to bring in gay marriage but is defeated 51 to 43. All the nationalist MLAs taking part back the motion, while all but four unionists reject the measure. The DUP once again tables the petition of concern.

April 2015

The Northern Assembly rejects the fourth attempt at bringing in gay marriage. Of the 96 MLAs who voted, 47 are in favour. Of the 53 Unionist MLAs, only four of them are in favour of the proposal.

May 2015

Ashers Bakery, a Christian-owned business which refused to make a cake bearing a pro-gay marriage slogan is found guilty of discrimination following a landmark legal action.

June 2015

Ten years after their civil union ceremonies, Grainne Close and Shannon Sickles, and Chris and Henry Flanagan-Kane seek a judicial review against the law which prevents them from obtaining a marriage.

November 2015

For the first time in its history a majority of the Northern Assembly back the introduction of gay marriage. However the vote will have no legal effect as the DUP tables another petition of concern which essentially nullifies the vote.

September 2016

The Assembly is presented with a petition signed by 20,000 people calling on the DUP to desist from using the petition of concern to override the democratic will of the parliament.

October 2016

DUP leader Arlene Foster says that her party will continue to thwart efforts to bring in same-sex marriage and that she plans to continually use the petition of concern to torpedo any attempts to introduce legislation.

March 2017

Sinn Féin says that the introduction of gay marriage will be a key issue in any talks to restore power sharing a Stormont. Talks ultimately collapse after Sinn Féin indicate that progre on the issue would be a red line for them.

June 2017

The DUP enters into a confidence and supply agreement with Theresa May’s Conservative Party, giving them significantly more power to continually thwart same-sex marriage legislation.

July 2017

Thousands take to the streets of Belfast, calling for the introduction of same-sex marriage. Several celebrities issue messages of support before the march, including TV presenter Graham Norton and actor Liam Neeson, who says: “We’ve had enough of a history in our society in Northern Ireland of discrimination, mistrust and hatred.”

August 2017

The Belfast High Court rejects two challenges brought against the gay marriage ban, saying that it is for the legislature and not the judiciary to set social policy for Northern Ireland. Arguments from Grainne Close and Shannon Sickles, and Chris and Henry Flanagan-Kane, that the ban breaches their human rights are thrown out.

February 2018

South Armagh-born Labour MP Conor McGinn says he plans to table a private members’ Bill in the Westminster Parliament. The move follows the collapse of talks to restore power to Stormont. Sinn Féin gives the proposal tentative backing, saying it would not block the introduction of gay marriage from Westminster.

March 2018

Despite the power sharing agreement collapsing over 14 months ago, Theresa May refuses to support direct legislation of gay marriage, saying that it is a devolved matter and should be dealt with by the Northern Assembly.

March 2018

A Bill calling for same-sex marriage to be introduced in Northern Ireland passes its first parliamentary stage in the House of Lords. The Marriage (Same Sex Couples - Northern Ireland) Bill was introduced by Conservative Robert Hayward as a private members’ Bill.

April 2018

A poll finds that fewer than one-in-five people in Northern Ireland are opposed to same-sex marriage, despite the political stalemate leaving gay people without marriage rights for years.

May 2018

Ashers Bakery brings its appeal against the ruling over its decision not to make a cake which supported gay marriage to the Supreme Court.

May 2018

Conor McGinn’s private members’ Bill fails to get approval to move beyond its second reading at the House of Commons, on foot of one objection from a Conservative MP. The legislation will return to the Commons for a further second reading in October, however McGinn urges Theresa May to “get off the fence and do the right thing by the people of Northern Ireland.”