Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 29 Sep 1999

Vol. 508 No. 1

Written Answers. - Divorce Applications.

Alan Shatter

Ceist:

748 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of divorce applications made in each Circuit Court area; the number of divorce decrees granted in each legal year since the commencement of a divorce jurisdiction up to and including the legal year ending 31 July 1999; the number of divorce applications in which the courts have declined to grant a divorce decree; the number of these applications in which divorce decrees were uncontested; the number of divorce decrees granted upon the conclusion of a contested court hearing; and the number of cases awaiting hearing. [17485/99]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue):

Following are tables containing statistics on divorce applications in the Circuit Court for the legal years ending 31 July 1997 and 31 July 1998, and for the period 1 August 1998 to 31 March 1999. This is the latest date for which figures are available. The numbers of applications for divorce received, and divorces granted during each period, are shown on the relevant table. Statistics for divorce applications refused are not available for the legal year ending 31 July 1997, but are included for later periods. The statistics are not broken down between contested and uncontested divorces.

While statistics on the number of divorce applications currently awaiting hearing are not at present available, a table showing the provisional number of divorce applications on hands in most Circuit Court offices as at 31 July 1998 follows. Circuit Court statistics for the legal year ending 31 July 1999 are not yet available. When the relevant statistics have been compiled, I will arrange for a copy of the statistics on divorce applications, including the number of applications on hands as at 31 July 1999, to be forwarded to the Deputy.

Year ending 31 July 1997.

Circuit Court Office	Applications Received	Applications Granted
Carlow	1	1
Carrick-on-Shannon	1	1
Castlebar	2	3
Cavan	5	1
Clonmel	5	0
Cork	44	4
Dublin	216	49
Dundalk	5	3
Ennis	12	4
Galway	14	7
Kilkenny	3	0
Letterkenny	3	2
Limerick	10	0
Longford	0	0
Monaghan	0	0
Mullingar	4	2
Naas	18	1
Portlaoise	4	1
Roscommon	3	0
Sligo	6	6
Tralee	9	1
Trim	12	1
Tullamore	4	1
Waterford	20	0
Wexford	8	2
Wicklow	14	3
Total	423	92

Year ending 31 July 1998.

Circuit Court Office	Applications Received	Applications Granted	Applications Refused
Carlow	34	9	0
Carrick-on-Shannon	9	6	3
Castlebar	62	27	0
Cavan	26	12	2
Clonmel	64	31	1
Cork	268	131	0
Dublin	1,277	715	0
Dundalk	76	35	0
Ennis	48	25	0
Galway	59	61	0
Kilkenny	45	18	0
Letterkenny	57	19	0
Limerick	105	34	0
Longford	17	16	0
Monaghan	26	11	0
Mullingar	42	20	0
Naas	67	28	1
Portlaoise	16	8	0
Roscommon	11	10	0
Sligo	18	15	0
Tralee	89	31	0
Trim	54	26	0
Tullamore	20	14	0
Waterford (from1/1/98-31/12/98)	72	21	0
Wexford	88	53	0
Wicklow	75	32	0
Totals	2,725	1,408	7

Divorce Statistics

1 August 1998 to 31 March 1999.(Circuit Courts only)

	1/8/98/31/12/98				1/1/99-31/3/99
Circuit Court Office	Received	Granted	Refused	Received	Granted	Refused
Carlow	23	13	0	19	11	0
Carrick-on-Shannon	3	2	0	4	1	0
Castlebar	21	17	0	18	14	0
Cavan	7	5	0	3	8	0
Clonmel	19	14	0	12	7	0
Cork	84	75	0	91	47	0
Dublin	675	312	0	475	314	0
Dundalk	29	17	0	27	15	1
Ennis	24	12	0	22	10	0
Galway	37	16	0	29	25	0
Kilkenny	17	10	0	17	12	0
Letterkenny	11	6	0	5	1	0
Limerick	43	41	0	34	21	0
Longford	13	4	0	3	5	0
Monaghan	3	8	0	6	2	0
Mullingar	24	12	0	15	12	0
Naas	34	22	0	15	7	0
Portlaoise	11	5	0	3	1	0
Roscommon	7	7	0	6	3	0
Sligo	12	12	0	6	5	0
Tralee	19	22	0	16	15	0
Trim	32	20	0	24	15	0
Tullamore	14	4	0	8	5	0
Waterford	28	22	0	37	10	0
Wexford	25	27	0	17	1	0
Wicklow	38	15	0	19	7	0
Totals	1,253	720	0	931	574	1

Provisional Number of Divorce Applications on Hands 31/07/98 (including adjournments).

Carlow	Not available
Carrick-on-Shannon	3
Castlebar	44
Cavan	15
Clonmel	34
Cork	188
Dublin	729
Dundalk	Not available
Ennis	31
Galway	0
Kilkenny	27
Letterkenny	38
Limerick	81
Longford	2
Monaghan	15
Mullingar	14
Naas	55
Portlaoise	11
Roscommon	4
Sligo	2
Tralee	66
Trim	39
Tullamore	9
Waterford	Not available
Wexford	41
Wicklow	51
Provisional Total	1,499