Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan and Josepha Madigan, Minister for Culture, at government buildings this afternoon

Government news agency Merrion Street tweetz:

In May, the people will be asked to approve an amendment to Article 41.3.2 of the Constitution to remove the minimum living apart period for spouses applying for a divorce. It is the Government’s intention to deal with the living apart period by way of ordinary legislation.

Referendum to be held on easing of divorce restrictions (RTE)

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53 thoughts on “Breaking

        1. thefatlad

          +I’ll stop leaving my dirty socks on the sitting room floor when you stop clogging the shower drain with your hair

      1. newsjustin

        In this case? Further trivialisation of civil marriage.

        In general? That this is a sign of things to come re abortion. Give it 10 years, make it more and more easily available.

        You guys don’t even see it…or ye have conveniently short memories. The idea that this would happen was poo-pooed during the divorce referendum.

        1. Starina

          Ok, I get that. Personally, I think it’s ridiculous that the waiting period was that long in the first place though.

        2. pedeyw

          Generally speaking, any divorced couples I know, knew well before the waiting period.
          Also from a practical point of view specifics like waiting periods should be legislative rather than constitutional.

        3. Daisy Chainsaw

          We keep having to revisit referenda time and time again because they’re so badly worded to begin with. I’ll be voting yes to this. The 4 year rule was a sop to people who believe their religious convictions should supersede common decency and compassion. It was purely to punish people whose relationships failed. You’ve to wait 3 months to get married, why should someone be forced to wait years to end that marriage?

        4. kellMA

          Speaking as someone personally in the middle of this; I don’t see your argument. A judicial separation heralds the legal end of a marriage. All divorce is, is another opportunity for the legal profession to make more money and for bumhat ex-spouses to try and ring more money out of a miserable situation. So if we can get rid of the JS bit and just go for divorce then it can only be an improvement.
          Marriages fail.. People get married that should not have gotten married and how is it in the interest of anyone to force two people to stay together dragging families and children through years of uncertainty and ever increased toxicity? And why then heap an additional financial burden on top of them When will people get over their urges to control other peoples lives?
          No one goes into a divorce/JS lightly. It’s hell, especially if you are trying to leave someone who is hell-bent on destroying and controlling you. I have gone through nearly 3 years of aggression, manipulation and games; an experience I would not wish on my worst enemy but it will all have been worth it for me and my children to get to a semblance of a more normal healthy life.

          1. Cian

            Sorry to hear about that kellMA, and I hope it works out for you; You have verbalised the reasons I would support this referendum.

          2. Ann

            I’m glad to hear that KellMA is finally escaping the controlling behaviour of KeenanBSc. Putting the screw in the tuna was the final straw.

  1. Gabby

    It might reduce marital breakdown rates if intending partners under the age of 22 had to wait a minimum of 12 months before officially tying the knot. The high rate of marital breakdown costs the state an arm and a leg. (I left out -over!)

    1. Fact Checker

      Except the marriage rate for under-22s is extremely low.

      Microscopic if you exclude members of a particular indigenous ethnic minority.

  2. small ads

    Why in the name of the saintly mother of the sweet living Jesus is this kind of fiddly stuff in the Constitution? All the Constitution needs is “Yeah, people can divorce”. After that, let the judiciary decide the details.

    1. Cian

      because religion.

      The one up-side is that the recent abortion referendum didn’t fall into the same trap.

    1. newsjustin

      Hopefully. We can trust those elected politicians with trivial things like abortion. But no way do I trust them to run a water utility. That’s too much, right there.

        1. Fairly Mary

          New York just legalised full term abortion.

          Texas just defunded Planned Parenthood for selling aborted baby body parts.

          Still smug about all this are we?

          1. millie st murderlark

            I don’t give a hoot what the folks America do to be perfectly honest. American values are not my values. As it is, America has much bigger problems to face than abortion.

          2. ReproBertie

            America voted a sexist, racist, isolationist, narcissistic moron as president. We’re a long way off taking advice from them.

          3. newsjustin

            You’re the real human rights champion Millie – “I don’t care what they do”

            (Yes, I’m still upset that Ireland voted to abort humans. But I’m also interested in our constitution and I think it’s hilariously hypocritical in the extreme that we have some of the same politicians who told us we must remove abortion from the constitution and let the Oireachtas have it’s say, also tell us we cant trust politicians with water and simply must enshrine the public ownership of water in the constitution.

            It’s hilariously stupid. And if you didn’t have your abortion fan-girl glasses on you’d see this too.)

          4. millie st murderlark

            Oh, I’m sorry am I supposed to care? I’m not an American citizen, so no, I don’t care. I do care about my country however and what happens here.

            I’ll make you a deal then, yeah. Take off your Catholic fangirl glasses and I’ll take off mine. And then maybe you’ll stop championing an institution which has some of the worst human rights abuses under it’s belt.

          5. johnny

            Yeah Mary and Jesus faked his own death to get more followers,please stop spreading lies and propaganda on here.

            -this is what NY did.

            “What’s True
            The New York state legislature passed a law allowing abortions after 24 weeks if the mother’s health is at risk or there is an absence of fetal viability.
            What’s False
            The law does not allow for unrestricted abortion up through the normal term of pregnancy.”

            https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/new-york-abortions-birth/

            Your completely and absolutely wrong about Texas too !

          6. johnny

            Fairly mad more like it…….

            “The case, technically, isn’t about abortion, he said. Instead, he said, it’s about whether Texas had the right to terminate a contract with a health-care provider under the Medicaid Act, and whether the provider’s patients had a private right of action to join the lawsuit.”

            https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/01/18/court-rules-against-planned-parenthood-texas-sting-videos-case-bringing-it-step-closer-getting-defunded/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.88028963ac0c

          7. newsjustin

            Of course, bring the church into a conversation about abortion and divorce. Lol. The Irish Godwin.

            “I don’t care about abortion as long as they don’t happen in Ireland.” I used to get that claim quite a bit during the referendum. Now you’re proud to claim it.

          8. millie st murderlark

            Well, since you went for the obvious insult I thought I’d treat you to the same. Unless you want to get creative? I’d rather not, seeing as I generally respect your opinions, even if I don’t agree.

            And yes. I am proud, and always have been, to have marched and protested and voted to remove a wholly unnecessary addition to our constitution. I am proud that we have abortion services to offer women after years of taking the boat.

          9. realPolithicks

            Millie, us mere mortals are just not capable of understanding the mind of a person like newsy. We’re at least lucky to be able to bask in the glow of his brilliance…phew.

          10. Fairly Mary

            Mille doesn’t care about America or Americans. So she won’t be making any more comments on their President.

            Loo Lally loo.

  3. Praetorian.

    But on CBLive last night Charlie Flanagan said he wasn’t a fan of referendums…clearly stating that decisions should only be made by elected ministers…not the public…
    tick tock Charlie…tick tock.
    clown.

  4. Dub Spot

    Simple way to avoid this–legislate to abolish marriage. Or hold a referendum properly.

    But no, instead of moving beyond this feudal as fupp institution of chattel, we’ll extend the misery to same sex couples and present it as one of equality. Brilliant.

    Just cut short circuit be by having each man/woman find another woman/made at random that they dislike immediately and just buy them a new house and give them a bag of money every month.

    Abolish marriage.

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