Political reaction:Tánaiste and Minister for Justice Michael McDowell said yesterday the High Court ruling on Dr Katherine Zappone and Dr Ann Louise Gilligan reflected the original position of the Attorney General and himself that there was no provision in Irish law for the recognition of same-sex unions.
He said, however, the Government was committed to addressing the issue pending a report on same-sex unions from the committee, chaired by Anne Colley, and the recent Law Reform Commission recommendations.
"The Government will examine these issues carefully and address the issue of how, without a constitutional referendum, the question of fairness for people in such relationships can best be addressed on a legislative basis," he said.
Meanwhile Fine Gael said the High Court ruling makes it clear that the question of gay marriage was a constitutional one and the emphasis must now be on civil partnership.
The party's Seanad equality spokeswoman, Senator Sheila Terry, said that Fine Gael's civil partnership plan, launched over two years ago, would provide cohabiting same-sex couples and opposite-sex couples with the rights they deserved and should be enacted immediately.
"Legislation could and should have been introduced in this area long ago but instead Fianna Fáil and the PDs have ducked the issue time and time again. It is to the cost of the estimated 83,000 cohabiting couples and to the shame of the justice Minister that they have done so."
The Green Party expressed its disappointment that Dr Zappone and Dr Gilligan were unsuccessful in their landmark High Court action
The party's justice spokesman, Ciarán Cuffe, said it was unacceptable that the constitutional rights that we cherished in Ireland, such as the right to equality and to marriage, property and family rights, continued to be denied to certain groups.
Sinn Féin's Aengus Ó Snodaigh also expressed his disappointment at the decision.