IN 2011, 536 civil partnership ceremonies took place in Ireland.

The Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010 enabled same-sex couples to obtain legal recognition of their relationship and came into effect on 1 January 2011.

Same-sex unions

The 2011 figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show there were 335 male unions and 201 female unions. Over 70 per cent of these same-sex couples live in the Leinster area, with 34 per cent living in the city centre.

Excluding the Dublin area, Cork County had the highest number of civil partnerships registered in 2011, where 33 took place.

North Tipperary and Monaghan had the lowest recorded civil partnerships with just 1 civil partnership registered in each county in 2011. Just two civil partnerships were registered in both Laois and Leitrim.

Divorcees

Some 1,018 or 95 per cent were previously single while 4 per cent were divorcees and 6 were widowed.

Of all the male partnerships, there was a one to four year difference in ages in 36 per cent of couples. Over 43 per cent of female partnerships indicated that there was one to four year age gap between couples.

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