Chaplains across the US are reporting a significant increase in religious practice at college campuses, according to a report in today's New York Times. Students are being drawn to religion and spirituality with more fervour than college staff can ever remember.

There has been a 70 per cent increase in the number of single parent families in the State since 1997. According to a CSO report, there were 73,700 single parent families in 1997, while in 2006 there were 125,600 such families.

People who believe that religion has no part to play in public life “infringe on other people's rights” according to Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. Mr Ahern made the comments in response to a question from Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny regarding the structured dialogue between the State and the Churches.

Nature is more important than nurture for a child's development, according to a new book by US psychologist Judith Rich Harris. Ms Harris, in a article in the latest edition of UK magazine Prospect, argues that genetic make-up has far more impact on how a child will turn out than the kind of parenting he or she receives.

Accord, the Catholic marriage counselling agency, have said that there is no demand for the recognition of prenuptial agreements. They were responding to a Government backed report, published yesterday, calling for prenuptial agreements to be formally recognised for the first time.

The Director of counselling for the agency, John Farrelly, said that “there was no appetite whatsoever” for such agreements from the couples he deals with in the course of his work. He added that he believed “that there was no consultation with the people who work with marriage on a daily basis”.

His statement comes as the Minister for Justice Michael McDowell said that the report would form the basis for legislation in this area. The document argues that prenuptial agreements should be used as a guide when a court is deciding on division of assets in a marriage break-up. The report, carried out by a study group chaired by senior counsel Inge Clissman, also makes recommendations on the formalities necessary for the proper making of prenuptial agreements.

But judges should also be allowed to take into account any changes in a married couple's material circumstances where a prenuptial agreement exists, it adds.

Prenuptial agreements have no legal basis in Irish law and are not legally enforceable. However, they have been resorted to more and more by Irish married couples following the introduction of divorce in 1996.

The High Court and Supreme Court have not yet ruled definitively on the status of such agreements in law. In the past, the courts have refused to enforce prenuptial agreements on the basis that they were void for reasons of public policy, in that they undermined marriage. However, the study group which presented the report argue that the introduction of divorce has undermined this public policy objection to this form of agreement.

The group recommends new sections be introduced to the Family Law Act 1995 and the Family Law (Divorce) Act 1996 to provide for prenuptial agreements. The report also recommends that prenuptial agreements be reviewable on death. It adds that it runs contrary to succession law to allow interference with the freedom of testation on broad discretionary grounds.

"It is likely that in certain circumstances a surviving spouse may be unfairly affected by the provisions of a prenuptial agreement, eg as a result of the passage of time or other intervening events." It recommends the introduction of law to make financial provision for such a spouse, notwithstanding the existence of a prenuptial agreement.

Banning prenuptial agreements on the basis that the common good is harmed by them would be deemed unconstitutional, the study group say. They argue that “the common good would be better served if the validity and effect of a prenuptial agreement be determined by the courts in each individual case." Prenuptial agreement should be defined in legislation, they add. Such agreements should be in writing, signed and witnessed, after each party has had legal advice and made a financial disclosure.

Children with religious parents behave better and are better adjusted than other children. That's according to a new study looking at the effects of religion on young child development. The research was carried out by sociologist John Bartkowski from Mississippi State University.

The vast majority of recently married couples are very happy with their marriages, according to a new poll commissioned by Accord, the Catholic marriage support service.

Women with better education and more career opportunities are delaying longer before having children, new census figures show. The most affluent area in the country, Dun Laoghaire/ Rathdown in Co Dublin, now has the oldest first-time mums in the State with an average age of 30.9.

Probate lawyers say that the huge recent increase in divorce figures has led to sons and daughters of first, second and sometimes third marriages squabbling over wills. They are fighting each other, their dead father's second wives or even third wives and their half brothers and sisters.

A leading family solicitor has said that the state of current divorce law means that marriage is a potential pitfall for businesspeople or anyone with wealth because if they divorce, their original settlements can be challenged by former spouses sometimes years after the break up.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) has begun a multi million euro campaign to encourage parents to listen to their children. According to the HSE, the key aim of the campaign “is to encourage communication between children and adults”

The Catholic Church should accept a reduced role in primary schools, according to John Carr, the General Secretary of the Irish National Teacher's Organisation (INTO).

Almost one third of people binge drink before sex, according to a new survey into the link between casual sex and alcohol.

Britons are increasingly likely to live in single-parent families, according to new official figures. The Office for National Statistics said children in Britain are three times more likely to live in one-parent households now than they were in 1972.

A poll showing a marked decline in religious knowledge amongst young people, sponsored by the Iona Institute, received widespread coverage yesterday in both print and broadcast media. The poll was covered on RTE's 6 o'clock and 9 o'clock news. Various radio stations discussed the story during the day.

Toddlers who spend three days a week in day care are more likely to develop "anti-social" behaviour, research by the UK government has found.

One of Ireland's leading Constitutional experts, Professor Gerry Whyte of Trinity College, Dublin, has expressed serious concerns about the Government's proposed children's rights referendum. He said that he was “unsure we can improve on the current Constitutional formula” regarding the family. He was speaking at a debate last on the proposal sponsored by the Newman Soceity in UCD.

The number of divorced people has skyrocketed by almost 70 per cent since the last Census in 2002, according to the 2006 Census. There are now 59,534 divorced people in Ireland, compared 35,059 in 2002. This constitutes an increase of 69.2 per cent.

Justice Minister Michael McDowell is to set up a study group to analyse the issue of pre-marital provisions in the event of a marriage break-up, which Irish courts do not currently recognise.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has pledged to double the home carer's allowance from 770 to 1540 a week if re-elected. Mr Ahern made the promise in the course of his pre-election Fianna Fail Ard Fheis speech last Saturday. Fianna Fail are now the fourth party pledged to increasing the home carers allowance.