Churches and clergy in Northern Ireland will not be forced to conduct same-sex marriage ceremonies, according to just published legal guidelines.

The regulations allow for officiants of churches to be appointed to solemnise same-sex religious marriages, with the consent of their governing authority.

However, they also put in place protections so that religious bodies (and individual officiants) “cannot be compelled by any means, including by the enforcement of a contract or a statutory or other legal requirement, to perform same-sex marriages or otherwise be involved in same-sex marriages.

The statement adds: “Equality law protections are also in place so that religious bodies and individual officiants will not unlawfully discriminate if they refuse to solemnise marriages because of the sexual orientation of the couple, and we have extended the protections to cover premises such as church halls and other buildings owned by (or on behalf of) a religious body, except where the premises are used solely or mainly for commercial purposes.”