This weekend will mark 25 years since Minister for Justice, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, decriminalised the action of homosexuality in Ireland.
This was quite a historic moment for the country. Ireland, like many other countries at the time, was not a safe place to be open about your sexuality and made a huge mark on the country's culture. This law had an immediate affect on the mental health and well being of many citizens and their families.
In the Dáil today, the state will issue a sincere apology to all citizens who were affected by this law and convicted for their actions prior to the decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1993.
The motion that was brought forward by Labour Senator, Ged Nash, called on the Oireachtas to offer a sincere apology to those who were convicted by the courts over the course of the law's existence.
This motion was agreed on by all parties. They believe that this law caused serious harm to those affected.
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The government are also looking into ways in which they can exonerate men who were convicted for homosexual offences, and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that the government will "recognise the wrongs that were done".
Legal complications could prevent men who have been convicted to be exonerated, but the Labour party have already put together a bill that will hopefully exonerate these men, and set their convictions aside.
The motion was supported in this morning's meeting in the Dáil, with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar giving a key-note speech on the topic this afternoon. This apology comes ahead of a Government reception in Dublin Castle next weekend to mark 25 years of decriminalisation, with 600-700 people in attendance.
