The Constitutional Convention will vote today on a whether a referendum should be held on the issue of same-sex marriage.

The 100-members meeting at Malahide in Dublin yesterday heard the views of advocates and opponents of extending marriage rights to same-sex couples.

Results from this afternoon's vote will be sent on to Government as a recommendation.

In it's submission, the Catholic Bishops Conference says marriage is a 'unique union' between a woman and a man, and they believe 'it would be damaging to the common good' to 'render same sex unions equivalent to marriage'.

David Quinn of the Iona Institute says that traditional marriage should be preserved so that the rights of children are respected:

However, Executive Director of Amnesty International Ireland, Colm O'Gorman, believes that the discrimination of civil marriage laws must end.

He says that there are no clear reasons for not allowing same sex marriage:

Chairman of the Constitutional Convetion Tom Arnold explains how the voting will proceed today.