Marriage in Ireland is under more pressure than ever, new figures produced by the Church’s marriage 
counselling agency Accord reveal.
The figures, published yesterday, showed a significant rise in demand by individuals and couples for Accord’s marriage counselling service over the last three years.
The agency delivered 50,422 counselling hours in 2012 compared to 43,627 hours in 2010.
The number of counselling cases in 2010 was 6,185 and in 2012 the number rose to 6,536.
Bishop Christopher Jones, the president of Accord, acknowledged that the rise in demand for the agency’s counselling services reflected the growing difficulties facing families because of the economic situation.
Bishop Jones said: “Difficult economic times have put pressure on people and in turn on their marriage and on their family relationships.
“My key message today is: for those who are experiencing difficulty in their marriage and family, Accord exists to assist you to address, at every stage, these fundamental and vital human relationships.”
Accord also revealed that their counselling showed that levels of anxiety and stress reported by their clients remained high, though there was been a marginal decrease.
In 2010, 87pc of clients reported experienced anxiety and stress, while in 2012 this had declined somewhat to 82pc.
There was an increase in the number of clients who reported financial difficulties as a problem, with 58pc of people reporting this as an issue, compared to 56pc in 2011.
Reports of communication difficulties have risen since 2010 when 74pc of clients reported criticism and insults, and 79pc reported not listening/ignoring as a problem in their relationship; in 2011 and in 2012 the figures rose to 78pc and 82pc respectively.
The figures also showed that there has been a rise in anxiety over possible separation in the past three years. In 2010, 52pc of clients expressed this fear; this rose to 58pc in 2012.
The number of clients reporting infidelity as a problem has risen slightly over the three year period, from 24pc in 2010, to 25pc in 2011 and to 26pc in 2012.
Bishop Jones said Ireland had a strong tradition of valuing marriage.
He said: “Each year large numbers of couples choose to get married and of these a significant majority choose the Sacrament of Marriage – to get married in the Church. We need to encourage and offer them every possible support .
“We need to shout out the good news that marriage and family serves the common good of our Christian community and also that of our wider society. We need to support those preparing for and living the Sacrament of Marriage and family life and protect the institutions of marriage and family.”