Equality Officer Lena Calvert said the NUJ's Equality Council viewed the new law as a progressive step which grants significant rights to same-sex couples.

The NUJ has been to the fore in the ICTU campaign for civil partnership legislation in the Republic and had highlighted the discrimination which existed on the island of Ireland, with same-sex couples in Northern Ireland enjoying superior rights to same-sex couples in the South.

Congress policy is based on a motion proposed by the NUJ at the Biennial Delegate Conference last year. The NUJ also tabled a motion at the ICTU Womens' Conference four years ago.

The new Act provides a comprehensive set of protections, rights and obligations for same-sex couples across a wide range of areas including home protections, pensions, taxation, maintenance, next of kin, social welfare, domestic violence, inheritance, enduring power of attorney and creation of joint tenancies.

Social welfare, finance and taxation changes will be implemented in the next in the Social Welfare and Finance Bills following the Budget in December.

Irish Secretary Séamus Dooley said the new law will have practical implications once the Minister for Justice signed the commencement order and the first civil partnership ceremonies will take place in early 2011.

Employers and trade unions will have to ensure that agreements and pension scheme provisions take account of the new law.

"While critics of the Act have rightly highlighted the absence of full equality the Seanad debate, in particular, gave a flavour of just how divisive a Constitutional referendum on this issue might be. Gay "marriage" would require a Constitutional amendment. While such a referendum may take place in the future incremental change on this scale is a major step.

On behalf of the NUJ I would like to pay tribute to all who campaigned for reform in this area, not least NUJ member Senator David Norris and GLEN, the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network."

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