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Up to 5,000 people gathered outside the Department of Justice in St Stephen's Green this afternoon to protest against the Government's refusal to lift the ban on same sex marriages.

The crowd which marched from Dublin City Hall heard former director of the Equality Authority Niall Crowley claim the proposed legislation on civil partnerships was a retrograde step, merely tolerating but not valuing, diversity. Tolerance alone was not acceptable he said, as it was often accompanied by contempt.