A NUMBER of couples who were married this month will shortly discover that they are not legally wed in the eyes of the State.
It has emerged that the validity of the civil marriages of at least three couples who were married on or after August 1st is in serious doubt because they failed to provide the necessary notice.
Under the Family Law Act 1995, couples marrying from that date were required to give three months notice of their intention to marry. Failure to provide such notice means the marriage is not valid in civil law unless an exemption has been granted by the Circuit Court or the High Court. The new regulation applies to all marriages taking place in the State.
It is understood that official letters have now been issued to a number of couples by their local Registrar of Marriages drawing attention to the matter.
It appears the couples went through church ceremonies and the problem was only identified when it came to formally registering their marriages. Their marriages are still valid in the eyes of the church.
Notification of a marriage involves both parties writing to the Registrar for the district in which the marriage is to be "solemnised", providing their names and addresses; the name of the church or place where the ceremony will take place; the date of the wedding; the ages of the parties or confirmation that they are over 18.
On their wedding day, a couple sign what is known as Statutory Form A, a document which is sent to the local Registrar and covers the civil aspect of the union. The Registrar checks to ensure that three months notice has been given before the marriage is registered in the State Registry of Marriages.
Ms Mary Heaslip, the Progressive Democrats' nominated candidate in Wicklow for the next election, said it appeared the only way couples with difficulties over the notice could rectify the situation would be to marry "again" in a registry office.
She pointed out that because the courts did not sit during the summer wedding season, couples married this month would be unable to obtain an exemption.