The Matrimonial and Family Proceedings (Northern Ireland) Order 1989

PART I

General

1.  Where one spouse is entitled to occupy a dwelling-house by virtue of a protected tenancy, a statutory tenancy or a secure tenancy, then, on granting a decree of divorce, a decree or nullity of marriage or a decree of judicial separation, or at any time thereafter (whether, in the case of a decree of divorce or nullity of marriage, before or after the decree is made absolute), the court by which the decree is granted may make an order under Part II.

2.—(1) Where—

(a) one spouse is entitled to occupy a dwelling-house by virtue of a protected tenancy, a statutory tenancy or a secure tenancy; and

(b) an order under Article 18(2)(i) of the Domestic Proceedings (Northern Ireland) Order 1980(1) (other than such an order made as an interim exclusion order by virtue of Article 21 of that Order) excluding that spouse from the dwelling-house is made upon the application of the other spouse,

the High Court or a divorce county court may, on the application of the other spouse within 3 months after the order is made, make an order under Part II.

(2) Where while an order referred to in sub-paragraph (1)(b) is in force an application is made for an order under Part II, the court may make the order applied for notwithstanding that, at the time when it does so, the first mentioned order has ceased to have effect otherwise than by reason of its revocation; and where an order is made under Part II it shall not be affected by an order referred to in sub-paragraph (1)(b) subsequently ceasing to have effect.

(1)

1980 NI 5