Those opposing the marriage equality referendum were described as "a small but loud minority'' by Independent TD Clare Daly.

“The idea that the State would restrict the personal behaviour of citizens is abhorrent. I am glad, therefore, that all political parties and groups in the House support the legislation, as it shows there is not too much to discuss.’’

Ms Daly was speaking during the resumed debate on the Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Marriage Equality Bill) 2015, paving the way for the referendum.

She said the issue of equality lay at the heart of the debate. “How could anyone favour inequality? If people do not want to enter into a same-sex marriage no one is forcing them to do so.’’

Ms Daly asked how could people “have the brass neck’’ to argue they had a right to impose a restriction on marriage or deny an opportunity to somebody else. “That is a reprehensible idea.’’

People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett said the hypocrisy of the No side was stunning.

“They are dinosaurs who should fold up their tent and get off the stage.’’

He said there was an irony in the argument of the No side that they wanted to protect children.

Separated children

“How exactly did the institutions in question protect children when, for 70 or 80 years, they forcibly separated children from their mothers simply because their parents were not married, incarcerated children in mother-and-baby homes and orphanages, and mothers in Magdalen laundries where many of them were enslaved and treated appallingly?’’

He said "some brave voices'' within the Catholic Church had come out in recent days to say they would be fighting for a Yes vote, opposing the diktat of the Catholic Hierarchy.

Fine Gael TD Marcella Corcoran Kennedy said everybody was born as they were. "We come into the world as we are, whether we are gay, straight, intersex or transgender. We need to accept this.'' She said she wanted to live in a world with equality at its root.