A bill to pardon men convicted of sexual offences before homosexuality was decriminalised will be debated today.

The Labour Party Bill which will be debated in the Seanad later also calls for an apology for the near 2,000 men convicted before the law change in 1993.

The Government will not oppose the legislation.

It comes a day after the UK pardoned thousands of gay men for past convictions.

Labour Senator Ged Nash says this is long overdue: