VETERAN divorce campaigner, Ms Mags O'Brien, obtained a divorce in Dublin Circuit Court yesterday at a cost of less than £15.
She had processed the application herself as a lay litigant. Because she and her former husband already had a separation agreement, resolving questions like property and maintenance (they are both working and therefore economically independent of each other for many years), the proceedings were simple.
Following a brief hearing, Judge Alison Lindsay granted the divorce.
Her former husband was out of Dublin on business, however, he had written to the court saying he had not entered a defence against the divorce application, with which he was in agreement. They had been separated for 12 years, eight more than required by the constitutional amendment.
"It's weird," said Ms O'Brien after the hearing. "I never thought I'd be walking out of that court today with a divorce. I'm just relieved."
She had been campaigning as a member of the Divorce Action Group for divorce in Ireland since 1985, three years after her marriage broke down. She was married in 1976 and the couple have no children. Since then both have formed new relationships.
Both were involved in campaigning for an amendment to the Constitution to permit divorce and remarriage. Both in the 1986 referendum and in 1995, when the electorate voted narrowly to remove the constitutional ban Ms O'Brien became a familiar figure in the national media using her personal experience to argue for divorce.
The Family Law (Divorce) Act (1996), allowing for divorces to be processed through the circuit courts and High Court, came into operation early this year. Ms O'Brien filed an "Endorsement of Claim", setting out the grounds for seeking the divorce, on April 15th and sent a copy to her former husband.
The Notice of Motion, with a hearing date set for June 4th, was issued on May 20th. Again he was notified. The whole process took less than two months. The costs involved were those of swearing affidavits of the grounds for the divorce and sending the documents to Ms O'Brien's former husband by registered post. The total cost was less than £15.
Her next step has nothing to do with divorce. In September she is marrying her partner of many years, Mr Jack McGinley, in a civil ceremony.