From BBC News NI. Tara Mills and Declan Harvey react and reflect on the stories that impact all our lives and speak to those who can help us understand why we’re in the state we’re in. This podcast is a new way of talking and learning about the news in Northern Ireland. There’ll be lots of candid conversations, special guests, with wisdom, informality and some fun along the way.
Nothing will be off the table on “The State of Us”. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. Contact thestateofus@bbc.co.uk
From BBC News NI. Tara Mills and Declan Harvey react and reflect on the stories that impact all our lives and speak to those who can help us understand why we’re in the state we’re in. This podcast is a new way of talking and learning about the news in Northern Ireland. There’ll be lots of candid conversations, special guests, with wisdom, informality and some fun along the way.
Nothing will be off the table on “The State of Us”. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. Contact thestateofus@bbc.co.uk
At least 116 children – including 91 teenage girls – have been married in Northern Ireland since legal reform to criminalise the arrangement of child marriages was announced over three years ago.
On 1 July 2022, Stormont’s then Finance Minister Conor Murphy said that work would begin on new legislation following a public consultation which showed overwhelming support to raise the minimum age for marriage and civil partnership to 18.
Currently, 16 and 17-year-olds can still marry in Northern Ireland if they have permission from a parent or a guardian. You cannot get legally married in England, Wales or Ireland under the age of 18. The Scottish Government confirmed in July that it is committed to consulting on raising its minimum marriage age from 16 to 18.
Tara Mills and Declan Harvey speak to data journalist Kathryn Torney, who has been delving into the figures.
Get in touch: thestateofus@bbc.co.uk