Family Law Act, 1995

Notification of intention to marry.

32.—(1) (a) A marriage solemnised, after the commencement of this section, in the State between persons of any age shall not be valid in law unless—

(i) the persons concerned notify the Registrar in writing of their intention to so marry not less than 3 months prior to the date on which the marriage is to be solemnised, or

(ii) exemption from this section was granted before the marriage under section 33 .

(b) The requirement specified in paragraph (a) is hereby declared to be a substantive requirement for marriage.

(2) The Registrar shall notify each of the persons concerned in writing of the receipt by him or her of a notification under subsection (1).

(3) A notification under subsection (2) shall not be construed as indicating the approval of the Registrar concerned of the proposed marriage concerned.

(4) (a) The Minister for Health may make regulations for the purposes of this section and, in particular, in relation to the notifications provided for by subsections (1) and (2).

(b) A regulation under this section shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as may be after it is made and, if a resolution annulling the regulation is passed by either such House within the next 21 days on which that House has sat after the regulation is laid before it, the regulation shall be annulled accordingly, but without prejudice to anything previously done thereunder.

(5) In this section “the Registrar” means the Registrar of Marriages for the district concerned appointed under the Marriages (Ireland) Act, 1844, or the Registration of Marriages (Ireland) Act, 1863 .