Marriages Act, 1972

Special marriage licence where one party is seriously ill.

16.—(1) An tArd-Chláraitheoir may grant a special licence to marry on being satisfied that one of the persons to be married is, for reasons of health certified by a registered medical practitioner, unable to attend at the office of a registrar of marriages for the ceremony.

(2) A marriage authorised by a licence under this section may be solemnised, in the presence of two witnesses, at any time and place by the registrar of marriages for the registration district in which that place is situate provided that, in some part of the ceremony, and in the presence of such registrar and witnesses, each of the parties declares:

“I do solemnly declare that I know not of any lawful impediment why I, A.B., may not be joined in matrimony to C.D.”

and that each of the persons says to the other:

“I call upon these persons here present to witness that I, A.B., do take thee, C.D., to be my lawful wedded wife (or husband).”

(3) Section 66 of the Marriages (Ireland) Act, 1844, is hereby amended by the insertion of “or pursuant to a special licence granted by an tArd-Chláraitheoir,” after “in his office,”.