THERE WAS a slight increase in the number of divorces granted in the Circuit Court in 2007 compared with 2006, but a fall in those dealt with in the High Court, according to figures published by the Courts Service.
They also show that women are more likely than men to initiate proceedings to end a marriage.
The Circuit Court granted 3,658 divorces in 2007, compared with 3,420 in 2006, an increase of 7 per cent, while in the High Court 26 were granted in 2007 compared with 47 in 2006.
Cases involving substantial assets are dealt with in the High Court.
The statistics come in the latest issue of Family Law Matters, published three times a year by the Courts Service, and which publishes reports of family law cases and examines family law statistics in the various courts over the past eight years.
These figures show that the number of judicial separations granted annually has not fallen, despite the introduction of divorce in 1996.
Prior to 1996 a judicial separation was the only way in which couples could resolve issues arising from the breakdown of their marriage.
Under the Constitution and the Family Law Act which legalised divorce, a couple must live apart for four out of the preceding five years before seeking a divorce.
In 2000 there were 998 judicial separations granted in the Circuit Court and in 2007 there were 1,167, with the figure fluctuating between 940 and 1,216 in the intervening years.
The number of judicial separations being granted in the High Court has fallen, from 27 in 2000 to 18 in 2007.
There is a small but steady increase in the number of divorces being granted annually. There were 2,710 in 2000, and in 2004 the figure passed 3,000 for the first time, rising to 3,391 in 2005. Two years later this had reached 3,658.
Divorces are more likely to be initiated by women than by men with 2,187 of those initiating divorces in 2007 being women, as against 1,471 men.
The gap between women and men is even greater when it comes to judicial separation, with 1,190 of those seeking this remedy being women in 2007, as against 499 men.
The publication also gives figures for family law applications in the District Court, which hears applications for custody of and access to children, maintenance, and domestic violence-related applications.
It shows that applications for custody and/or access are rarely refused, but many are withdrawn or struck out, indicating that the parties have come to an agreement after making the application, but before it is heard by the court.
According to the figures, 2,334 applications for access were granted in 2007 and 1,066 withdrawn or struck out, with 75 refused; 330 applications for custody were granted, with 441 withdrawn and 43 refused; and in 472 cases both custody and access were granted while 428 were withdrawn and 21 refused.
Maintenance orders were more likely to be granted, with 1,029 granted to married applicants and 1,981 to unmarried applicants (for their children) in 2007, as against 478 and 794 respectively being withdrawn.
Almost 2,000 unmarried fathers sought guardianship orders, but 653 withdrew their applications and 1,258 were granted. Fifty one were refused.
The figures also show a slight increase in the number of cases coming before the High Court under the Hague Convention on Child Abduction, where a parent is accused of removing a child from his or her habitual residence without the consent of the other parent.
There were 45 such cases commenced under this convention in 2007, which resulted in 97 interim orders. More than one interim order can be given in any one case. This compares with 90 interim orders in 2006.