Limerick leads in the marriage disaster stakes
Friday February 22 2008
Limerick is lreland's divorce capital.
More than 70 couples secured divorces or judicial separations at a sitting of the local Circuit Court in just one day.
Approximately 71 uncontested divorce cases were processed through a day-long sitting of the family law court at Limerick Courthouse on Tuesday.
According to the latest figures from the Courts Services, Limerick city has the highest divorce rate in Ireland at 12.9pc of the population.
Dublin city is next with an 11.6pc. Almost 60,000 people were divorced in 2006.
Limerick city seems set to lead the way when it comes to couples separating.
In 2006, there were 250 civil bills for family law and in 2007 that rose to 302, although not all have been finalised yet.
Should the increase continue, over 350 separation proceedings will be issued in Limerick by the end of 2008.
At Tuesday's sitting in Limerick, couples with ages ranging from their 20s to 70s appeared before the court. Some had been married for more than 30 years.
On average, the unchallenged hearings lasted less than five minutes before the couples went their separate ways.
Limerick registrar Pat Meghan said four days are set aside every year for uncontested proceedings.
Perception
"There is a common perception that only people in their 20s and 30s are getting divorced, that it is a new phenomenon," one solicitor who was involved in this week's family law proceedings reported.
"Traditionally, people think it is only couples who have been married for a few years are getting divorced but that is not the case, as it is couples of all ages whose marriages are breaking down for whatever reason," the solicitor said.
Currently, the US has the highest rate of divorce in the western world, with 50pc of all marriages predicted to end in divorce.
- Barry Duggan
