FF backs Shatter on marriage law

Fianna Fail is supporting a contention by Mr Alan Shatter TD that the validity of marriages conducted in August, September and…

Fianna Fail is supporting a contention by Mr Alan Shatter TD that the validity of marriages conducted in August, September and October of this year could be open to question.

The party spokesman on equality and law reform, Dr Michael Woods, said yesterday that the Family Law Act did not make provision for the giving of three months notice by a person intending to marry or the receiving of that notice by the registrar of marriages before August 1st.

Calling on the Minister to act now to ensure the validity of summer marriages, Dr Woods proposed that an amending Bill be introduced to exempt such marriages from the notification requirements.

The Attorney General's Office had advised that a problem would not arise because of the Interpretation Act, 1937.