Laws to allow full civil marriage between same-sex couples have begun their journey through the Oireachtas.

The Marriage Bill is being debated in the Dáil to give effect to the referendum passed earlier this year.

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald is responsible for the Bill.

She says no existing partnerships will be damaged by giving legal recognition to new ones.

The landmark legislation makes Ireland officially the first country in the world to bring in same-sex marriage by popular vote.

It follows the historic referendum result in May, when over 1.2 million people voted in favour of civil marriage between people without distinction as to their sex.

And it comes after the Supreme Court rejected the final leave to appeal over the result of the referendum.

Gráinne Healy, chairwoman of Marriage Equality, said it is an exciting day for everyone who voted Yes.