Same sex couples in Northern Ireland will have to keep waiting for the right to get married, after the Northern Ireland Assembly voted against the introduction of same sex marriage for the third time, reports the BBC.

This leaves Northern Ireland as the only country in the UK where there is currently no legislation in place to enable the introduction of same sex marriage.

England and Wales witnessed its first same sex marriages in March this year, after the Marriage (Same Sex) Act was passed in July 2013.

In Scotland, the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act received Royal Assent in March of this year. No confirmed timetable is currently available on when the first same sex marriages will be able to take place, but the majority of the Act’s provisions are expected to come into force before the end of the year.

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