A bill to hold a referendum to ease the constitutional restrictions on divorce was passed by the Dáil yesterday.

It is planned to excise from the constitution any waiting time for divorce. Currently a couple must be separated for four out of the last five years. The Government wishes to pass a law to cut this to two years. After that, any future Oireachtas can cut if further. The referendum on divorce will take place on May 24th, the same day as the local and European elections.

Minister for Culture Josepha Madigan made the case for the change yesterday. She said that in the 2015 Census 118,000 people declared themselves as separated and “we need to treat them with humanity and compassion”. She said that making divorce easier by reducing the waiting period “will help thousands of couples in Ireland who have suffered marital breakdown.” She had previously wanted a waiting period left in the Constitution.

Solidarity TD Paul Murphy, however, said there should be waiting time. He said there was a right to marry and there should be a “right to divorce without interference or judgment by State or Church”.