Sunday, June 01, 2025

Kilkenny clergyman speaks out on civil divorce in Ireland

A call on the Government to produce legislation permitting civil divorce in Ireland has been suggested by a Kilkenny clergyman.

The suggestion came from Dean Brian Harvey at last week’s General Synod of the Church of Ireland.

"At the present time in the Republic there are no civil procedures for divorce," he said.

"At the moment, cases which come to the attention of parish clergy are of persons who have obtained civil divorce in Northern Ireland or elsewhere.

"It seems to us that if Synod receives our report and institutes further action into the matter that the Church, through an appropriate authority, ought to approach the Government of the Republic to produce legislation permitting civil divorce, and probably also to produce legislation recognising ecclesiastical procedures of Nullity."