Most divorce and separation cases taken by women

The majority of the divorce and separation proceedings taken last year were taken by women, new figures from the Courts Service show.

In relation to divorce, wives took 58 per cent of the 24 cases that came before the High Court, and 58 per cent of the 4,290 that came before the Circuit Court.

None of the cases that came before either court last year were settled out of court. In total, there was a 9 per cent increase in divorce applications in comparison with 2014.

There were 1,419 applications for judicial separation last year, an increase of 11 per cent on the previous year, with 35 per cent of these being in the High Court.

The majority of the applications - 91 per cent in the High Court, and 71 per cent in the Circuit Court - were by wives. One case, in the High Court, was resolved out of court.

There were 78 applications to dissolve civil partnerships during the year, of which three were in the High Court. The majority concerned female couples - 66 per cent in the High Court, and 71 per cent in the Circuit Court.

There were 21 applications by husbands for nullity of marriage declarations in the Circuit Court, and 12 by wives.

For the High Court there was one such application by a husband, and one by a wife.