Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

It is not the standard because the standard in regard to a divorced spouse is that he or she has to apply within six months of a grant of representation, either under section 18(1) of the Family Law (Divorce) Act or under section 25(1) of the Family Law Act 1995; where a divorce is granted outside this State, a spouse who is separated or whose succession rights were quashed under grant of a decree, a judicial separation must also apply for provision within six months of that grant of representation. There is a six months time limit available to a former civil partner under section 124(1) of this Bill. Introducing a 12 month-period would introduce an inconsistency, even within the Bill, quite apart from an inconsistency in regard to the time period relating to family law generally in terms of reliefs that are laid down in other legislation.

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