What makes marriage work? A new study from the University of Exeter has looked at exactly this and recommended the findings be taught in schools. After all, entering a marriage is one of the most important decisions we can make in life, so we ought to do our best to get it right and we...
In 2013, 2.1 million marriages and 943,000 divorces took place in the European Union. This is the equivalent of 4.1 marriages and 1.9 divorces for every 1,000 persons. How does Ireland compare with the rest of Europe? In the same year, the crude marriage rate (number of marriage per 1,000 persons per annum) for Ireland...
We often hear that Ireland has a low divorce rate compared to the rest of Europe and particularly to the UK. This is correct, but we can’t afford to be complacent because for every four couples who marry in Ireland each year, roughly one couple go their separate ways. That is probably higher than many...
The Iona Institute made a submission to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health earlier this year concerning the General Scheme of the Assisted Human Reproduction Bill 2017. It can be found here.
The Iona Institute has just launched a new report showing that a huge marriage gap exists in Northern Ireland (as in the South) between the most advantaged and disadvantaged groups in society. Those in the upper income groups are twice as likely to be married as those in the bottom income groups. This gap is...
Under the Irish tax code, a married couple on one income can pay thousands more in tax each year compared with a double-income married couple earning the same amount. For example, a single-income married couple on €65,600 per annum, will pay more than €12,000 in tax while a double-income married couple also earning €65,600 will...
New Census data shows that the married family continues its decline in Irish life. While it is still by the easily the predominant type of family overall, its dominance has declined with the rise of cohabiting couples, divorce and separation, and single-parent households. Yesterday, the CSO released the Households and Family data from Census 2016....
The recent ruling by the Supreme Court on a polygamous marriage means that exclusivity is no longer considered an essential element in marriage. So, marriage does not have to be exclusive under the new legal dispensation, it does not have to be the conjugal union of a man and a woman, it cannot be legally...
A briefing note from The Iona Institute sets out what child-care choices the public really want to make. Only a small minority (17pc) want to place young children in day-care, 49pc want to mind their young children at home, while 27pc want another family member to look after their children during the working day. Yet,...
According to reports in the papers, in years to come it may be possible for scientists to create babies that will literally have no biological mothers. David Quinn discussed the ethical implications of this on The Pat Kenny Show on Newstalk on Friday. The item can be heard here. (Drag the bar at the top...
