Scotland has come first in Europe for legal LGBT equality matching 92% of the criteria while Ireland meets just 40%.

Of the criteria put forth by the European Region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, Scotland meets 92% while the UK overall reached 86% of the 48-point criteria.

Due to its more progressive policies for LGBT people, ILGA-Europe’s Rainbow Europe Index 2015 places Scotland ahead of the rest of the UK and Europe on LGBT equality and human rights legislation.

Ireland embarrassingly only meets 40% of the criteria which places it just before Greece and Georgia. Ireland falls far behind Belgium, the Netherlands, and Finland.

Azerbaijan is the lowest ranking country with only 5% of criteria while fervently anti-gay Russia meets 8%.

The Equality Network said the UK’s overall figure was brought down by a “lack of protections for intersex people in England and Wales, and Northern Ireland’s failure to respect LGBTI human rights in a range of areas, including its refusal to legalise same-sex marriage”.

Ireland fails to reach more than 30% in three of the four categories, including Equality and Non-Discrimination, Hate Crime and Speech, and Legal Gender Recognition and Bodily Integrity. We rank highly only in the section of Family and, if the referendum passes, Ireland will have filled almost all of the criteria in that section.

The Rainbow Europe Index measures progress in European countries on LGBT equality against a 48-point criteria including legal protections from discrimination in employment and services, rights and recognition of transgender people, and equality in family law.