Battle Between Conservative & Liberal Ireland Over Same-Sex Marriage

The Fine Gael Labour government say they are confident people in Ireland will vote 'yes', despite a recently ramped up and angry anti same-sex marriage rhetoric from those opposed to it.

An alliance of evangelical Catholics and Protestants have distributed more than 90,000 anti-same sex marriage pamphlets, urging people to vote 'no'.

In an open letter from the Church of Ireland, ministers urged people to remember what the Bible says, which is open to interpretation, but instructs that marriage is the permanent union of one man and one woman. Catholic lobbying group — the Iona Institute, are promoting "the place of marriage and religion in society."

Four clerics from Northern Ireland addressed voters in the Republic writing:

"We would ask that church members remain mindful of the biblical teaching about marriage as the Church of Ireland has received it, and continues to express it in the Book of Common Prayer and in canon 31."

The historical vote in Ireland marks a journey where homosexual acts were still illegal in 1993. Speaking in his final live television appearance ahead of the vote, Enda Kenny, Ireland's prime minister urged people to vote yes:

"For love and for equality."

Bishops in Ireland have come out against changing the constitution, but polls indicate a swing to the 'yes' side. 

Prime Minister Enda Kenny said in 2011 that the handling of clerical child abuse showed "the dysfunction, the disconnection, the elitism" of the Vatican.

In the 2011 census, 84.2 percent of the population identified themselves as Catholic. More than 70 percent of weddings in Ireland still take place in churches.

Seventeen countries around the world allow same-sex couples to marry, but Ireland is the first country to ever ask its nation to vote 'yes', or 'no' on allowing same-sex marriage or not.

The decision of the nation which remains staunchly divided on the issue will be revealed on Saturday.