Journalist and broadcaster Ursula Halligan has talked of her struggle to come to terms with her sexuality.

TV3's political editor wrote a piece in the Irish Times, detailing how she felt isolated and alone after falling in love with a girl at the age of 17.

"There have been times when I have even thought about death, of escaping from this world, of sleeping untouched by no-one forever. I have been so depressed, so sad and so confused. There seems to be no one I can turn to, not even God", she wrote.

Ms Halligan says that her coping strategy was to pour herself into her studies and her work.

"Emotionally, I have been in a prison since the age of 17; a prison where I lived a half-life, repressing an essential part of my humanity, the expression of my deepest self; my instinct to love."

She told Today FM that while she dated men, with whom she had lovely friendships, she "never fell in love with them".

But she says the same-sex marriage referendum changed all that.

"Before this referendum came along...I suppose I was resigned to going to my grave with that secret, and I shiver to think (that) there must have been so many people who've done that".

"Who have lived incomplete lives and gone to their graves quietly because they were too embarrassed or too ashamed to talk about it".

"This referendum has changed things," she said.

"The referendum forced me to confront the issue head on, I realised I couldn't sit on the fence - it was just too personal, it was my life", she added.

She is calling for a Yes vote on May 22nd, and told the Anton Savage Show on Today FM she has taken the No campaign in the referendum very personally.

In a statement, TV3 says it has agreed with Ms Halligan that she be removed from coverage of the referendum.

"Ursula wishes to publicly endorse a yes vote in the referendum which could breach the referendum guideline...TV3 offered Ursula Halligan the opportunity to continue to cover the referendum by not endorsing either side," it adds.

The network also says she will continue to cover all other political issues for TV3.