Who will decide on ‘quickie’ divorces?

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern has rejected concerns that the EU can introduce ‘quickie’ divorce here. He says that Irish divorce laws are none of the EU’s business.

He bases his assertion partly on Protocol 19 of the proposed EU constitution. And, in the case of the protocol, he seems to be right.

This exempts Ireland from the application of certain EU regulations, which appear to include divorce. The EU may not interfere in such cases.