Succession Act reform aims to cool family feuds

There have been huge demographic and social changes since 1965, when the Succession Act was introduced by the Oireachtas.

Longer life spans, couples having fewer children, greater access to third-level education and divorce are some obvious examples.

In the circumstances, section 117 of the act, which imposes a “moral duty” on parents to make “proper provision” for their children, was ripe for review by the Law Reform Commission (LRC).

Even the language, that ...