Yes Equality, a joint campaign to encourage people to register to vote this November, ahead of next year’s referendum on civil marriage equality, was launched this week.

The campaign, launched by The Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN); the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) and Marriage Equality will be run in collaboration with organisations across the country, including the Union of Students in Ireland (USI), IMPACT and other trade unions.

The campaign was launched in Cork this week by campaigner Joanne O’Riordan, featured in the documentary film ‘No Limbs No Limits’, and Eoin Murphy, goalkeeper for All-Ireland Hurling Champions, Kilkenny.

Speaking at the launch, Eoin Murphy highlighted the importance of being on the voter register: “Next year we will have an important referendum on civil marriage equality. We want to make sure that no one misses the opportunity to have their voice heard on polling day. We are asking people to join us in registering to vote so that they can be part of creating a fairer Ireland for all.”

Joanne O’Riordan said: “Younger voters in this referendum have the chance to make a real difference. This voter registration campaign is a critical first step in getting the vote out. We cannot afford to miss a single vote and if you’re not registered you can’t vote for civil marriage equality.”

The Yes Equality campaign will run until 25^th November, the deadline for registering to vote on the 2015 Register of Electors. People will be asked to get the message out to their friends and families about the importance of being registered to vote in time for the referendum.

In May this year IMPACT’s biennial delegate conference, made up of representatives from all the union’s branches, unanimously voted to support a ‘yes’ vote in any future referendum on marriage equality.

Sinead Costello of the union’s Sligo branch said it was not reasonable to deny same-sex couples the right to marry. “The state is effectively saying it does not value, respect or acknowledge the status of same-sex couples in the same way as heterosexual couples. Opinion polls tell us that the vast majority of the public believe in marriage equality for gay people. This is an issue for IMPACT members whether gay or straight,” she said.

The union’s equal opportunities officer Pat Fallon said the union would work with other civil society groups on the issue: “Same sex marriage is a trade union issue. IMPACT is against oppression and discrimination,” he said.