"I guess it shows how the Irish really believe in the system and they have a sense of optimism, " he said. This optimism died last week when the government opposed a Labour Party bill on civil unions.

While plans were announced to give legal recognition to same-sex couples, gay marriage was ruled out as being in conflict with the constitution.

For Ruimy (32) and his partner, Paul Kearns (40) from Dublin, the fact their marriage, which took place last year in Belfast, will remain unrecognised south of the border is a further blow.

The couple are together over seven years and they have considered emigrating to a country where their civil partnership is recognised, but they would prefer to remain in Ireland.

"Dublin is a great city to live and work in, " said Kearns, a town planner with Dublin City Council. "We have a lot of friends here and it's also a great place to be right now when it comes to our jobs.

"Everyone is very laidback and tolerant of gay people but the government doesn't seem to be there yet. We are incredibly disappointed with the Green Party for changing its mind."

Because their marriage is not recognised in Ireland, when Ruimy travels abroad, he is generally subjected to strenuous questioning when re-entering the country.

"Every time I arrive at Dublin airport, it's just a horrific experience, " he said.

"I'm made to feel like a criminal for having a longterm partner in the country and yet having nothing to show for it.

"The fact that we were married in Belfast means nothing to them and it is only my job [as an architect] that ensures I am allowed in."

Minister for justice Brian Lenihan said last week that the heads of a bill to legislate for civil partnership would be ready by next March and the government would proceed as quickly as possible with detailed legislation.

At the moment, it is still unclear as to what rights the civil partnership bill will include. "It's very confusing and at this stage it could mean anything, " said Kearns.

"For us, the best case scenario, apart from the Greens changing their mind, would be a very progressive civil partnership deal like the Scandinavian model. But that's not very likely."

Brendan Howlin, Labour spokesman on the constitution and law reform, attacked the government for rejecting his party's bill, saying that the promised government amendment was "nothing more than a vague promise to legislate at some time in the future, with no deadline at all."

For the estimated 2,000 same-sex cohabiting couples in Ireland, it is a demoralising move.

"We both have jobs that include promoting Dublin as a city and yet this is a country that doesn't respect gay relations, " said Kearns. "Almost anywhere else in the EU our marriage is recognised as an automatic right. It's very disappointing that it's not the same here."

"Sometimes people think it's all about the tax issue but it's much more than that, " added Ruimy.

"We are simply looking for a basic right that heterosexual people never have to think about. We just want to be treated equally and fairly like anybody else. I don't think that's too much to ask."