Austin Deasy
Question:237 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Justice the number of divorces which have been finalised under the recently introduced legislation; and the average timescale involved. [12298/97]
Written Answers. - Divorce Applications.
Since the commencement of the Family Law (Divorce) Act, 1996 on 27 February 1997, up to 1 May 1997, 115 divorce applications have been lodged in the Circuit Court offices. Of the 115 divorce applications only one divorce has been granted to date. This divorce was granted in Castlebar Circuit Court. The Proceedings issued from Castlebar Circuit Court Office on 5 March and the Order was made on 13 March 1997. In no other case have the necessary pleadings required to enable a divorce application to be listed for hearing in court been filed in the Court Office. Therefore none of the remaining 114 divorce applications is ready for hearing at this stage.