A survey of the main political parties' attitudes to gay equality and law reform reveals that most agree that cohabiting same-sex couples should be given the same legal rights as married couples.
Every Dail party except Fine Gael replied to the survey. Fine Gael sources said they refused because the questions were "too politically sensitive, this close to an election".
Dr Jim McDaid TD, Fianna Fail equality spokesman, who replied in a personal capacity, said he supported legal recognition for same-sex couples with regard to taxation, social welfare, pension and inheritance rights.
The Green Party and Sinn Fein support full legal recognition for same-sex couples.
Helen Keogh, the PD spokeswoman on equality, said legal same-sex partnerships "are a logical progression when there is a long term established cohabiting relationship".
The Labour Party said that if returned to government it "would support an examination of tax law and its application to a wider range of family situations", while Democratic Left pointed out that the Department of Social Welfare had given substantial aid to gay groups.
The survey was conducted for the Gay Community News, published by the National Lesbian and Gay Federation.