Property (Ireland) Act 1865: permitted a wife to sue her husband in tort if separated or deserted.

Partition Acts 1868 and 1876: allowed courts to divide up property between spouses.

Matrimonial Causes and Marriage Law (Ireland) (Amendment) Act 1870: brought civil nullity rules in line with Church rules.

Married Women's Property Act 1882: allowed married women to hold property in their own name. Replaced by:

Married Women's Status Act 1957: made wives liable for their own debts and breaches of duty. Allowed courts to decide property disputes between spouses.

Guardianship of Infants Act 1964: gave parents the right to joint guardianship of their children and allowed courts to make decisions on custody and access.

Succession Act 1965: reformed the law relating to the estates of people who had died, especially the administration and distribution of property where there is no will. Specified the shares of spouses and children on intestacy.

Marriages Act 1972: raised the minimum marriage age to 16 for boys and girls, retrospectively validated so-called "Lourdes marriages".

Maintenance Orders Act 1974: allowed the reciprocal enforcement of maintenance orders between the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, England and Wales and Scotland.

Family Law (Maintenance of Spouses and Children) Act 1976: provided for periodical payments by one spouse to another in cases of failure to provide reasonable maintenance, with deductions of earnings at source and barring orders.

Family Home Protection Act 1976: protected family home and required prior written consent of both spouses for sale of family home or chattels.

Courts Act 1980: widened the Circuit Court's jurisdiction in family law matters.

Family Law Act 1981: abolished actions for enticement of spouse and breach of promise to marry. Allowed courts to decide disputes over gifts after broken engagements.

Family Law (Protection of Spouses and Children) Act 1981: gave the Circuit and District Courts power to grant barring and protection orders. (Repealed by Domestic Violence Act 1996)

Domicile and Recognition of Foreign Divorces Act 1986: confirmed independent domiciles of wives, recognised divorces granted where either spouse was domiciled.

Status of Children Act 1987: abolished status of illegitimacy and amended law on maintenance and succession for non-marital children. Allowed unmarried fathers to apply for guardianship of their children. Provided for blood tests to establish paternity.

Family Law Act 1988: abolished actions for the restitution of conjugal rights. 

Children Act 1989: gave health boards powers to care for children.

Judicial Separation and Family Law Reform Act 1989: amended the grounds for judicial separation, assisted reconciliation between estranged spouses and provided for ancillary orders such as maintenance, property adjustment and custody of children.

Child Care Act 1991: gave powers to health boards to care for children who were ill-treated, neglected or sexually abused.

Child Abduction and Enforcement of Custody Orders Act 1991: dealt with wrongful retention of children. Implemented the Hague Convention 1980 and the Luxembourg Convention 1980.

Maintenance Act 1994: simplified procedures for recovering maintenance debts from other countries.

Family Law Act 1995: raised the minimum age for marriage to 18 and required 3 months' written notice to local registrar, abolished petitions for jactitation of marriage (falsely claiming to be married to someone), provided for declarations of marital status, and ancillary orders after judicial separation or foreign divorce.

Domestic Violence Act 1996: extended safety, barring and protection orders to non-spouses, gave health boards powers to apply for orders, allowed arrest without warrant for breach.

Family Law (Divorce) Act 1996: allowed divorce and remarriage, with all ancillary orders.

Children Act 1997: recognised natural fathers as guardians, allowed children's views to be considered in guardianship, access and custody matters, allowed parents to have joint custody.
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