The Taoiseach has confirmed that the same-sex marriage referendum will take place in Ireland in the Spring of next year. He has been under pressure to confirm a date for the vote after promising to hold it in 2015.

It comes after record numbers turned out to support the annual Dublin Gay Pride Parade last weekend.

The latest opinion poll found growing support among Irish people for same-sex marriage. The IPSOS/MRBI survey in April found 67% are planning to vote Yes in the forthcoming referendum.

That was up from 53% in a similar poll in November 2012. 21% said they would vote No, and 12% were undecided.

When the undecided are excluded, the Yes figure rose to 76% with 24% No - compared to 64% Yes and 36% No in November 2012.

The poll showed that younger voters are much more likely to support same-sex marriage than older people. Among those aged 18 to 24 age, 80% said they would vote in favour, 13% would vote No and 7% were undecided.

This compared to 44% of those aged 65 and over who would vote Yes, with 40% saying they would vote No and 16% undecided.

Women were significantly more in favour of a change than men, with 73% of women saying they would vote Yes compared to 61% of men.

Last November the government agreed to hold a referendum on the issue, which Enda Kenny confirmed will happen in the Spring of 2015.