Referendum on faster divorces to take place in November 2018

A referendum on modifying Ireland’s Constitution to allow quicker divorces is set to take place next November, TheJournal.ie reports.

Fine Gael TD Josepha Madigan, a solicitor and family mediator, introduced a private member’s bill providing for a referendum on reducing the time period before a court can grant a divorce from four years to two.

Under Article 41.3.2 of the Constitution, introduced following a referendum in 1995, a court can only grant a divorce where the spouses “have lived apart from one another for a period of, or periods amounting to, at least four years during the previous five years”.

Speaking to TheJournal.ie, Ms Madigan said: “It is going to go to a referendum, the Taoiseach has said to me, he hopes in November 2018. I would be really delighted with that.

“Obviously, I would like it before that but there are a lot of other referendums to get through, so I am delighted.”