Bill No. 1 to apply Church of Ireland Marriage Regulations
The first Bill presented to the 2006 General Synod today seeks to amend Canon 31(2) Chapter IX of the Constitution to ensure that a member of the clergy who is approached with a view to solemnising a marriage must not only fulfil the statutory requirements of the state in which the marriage is to take place, but must also comply with such Church of Ireland Marriage Regulations as may be provided.
Proposed by Lady Sheil and seconded by Archdeacon Bantry White, this bill is a special one under the Constitution and must be presented over two Sessions of the General Synod. The Synod approved the first of these stages in 2005.
The Church of Ireland Marriage Regulations (NI) 2004 were approved by the General Synod of 2005 for marriages taking place in Northern Ireland.
Corresponding regulations regarding marriages taking place in the Republic of Ireland have not yet been made but, when done so, compliance with these Regulations will also be required. As a result, all marriages solemnised by clergy of the Church of Ireland would be subject to the same regulatory Church procedures, regardless of whether the marriage takes place in Northern Ireland or the Republic.
The Bill was approved by Synod and will receive its third reading on the last day of Synod, Thursday 11