Mrs Brown’s Boys star urges Ireland to vote yes to same-sex marriage

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Mrs Brown’s Boys star Eilish O’Carroll has urged people to back same-sex marriage in the country’s upcoming referendum.

Ms O’Carroll – who plays Winnie McGoogan in the hit TV series – is openly gay, having come out after two previous marriages to men.

The actress – who is currently touring her one woman show Live Love Laugh – called on people to turn out to vote in the upcoming referendum, which is set to take place in the Republic of Ireland in May.

She told the Mirror: “If it encourages people to think about voting Yes for the referendum I would be delighted.

“Marriage is not an institution I particularly feel strongly about but I do feel very strongly about choice and I do feel very strongly about children’s rights.

“At the minute children are not being treated equally in same sex marriages and that to me is immoral never mind anything else.

“We have a constitution that says all children will be treated equally providing they don’t live with a gay couple.

“If there was something other than marriage that gave them those rights then I would be fighting for that too.

“But marriage is the only institution that gives parents and children that legal foundation and so they should have it.”

The Irish Cabinet met today to agree on the final phrasing of the question that will be put to voters – which is often a key battleground in ballots, as wording can sometimes influence results.

The exact wording will be: “Marriage may be contracted in accordance with law by two persons without distinction as to their sex”.