THE man granted the State's first divorce by the High Court last week has been given leave to marry without having to wait the statutory three months.

Mr Justice Barron, at an in-camera hearing on January 17th, concluded that the case was a proper one for an order for the dissolution of the man's marriage to be made. He was satisfied the provisions of the Constitution had been complied with.

However, by law, three months' notice of intention to marry must be given. Lawyers for the man are understood to have obtained High Court clearance for the man to remarry without giving the three months' notice to the State authorities. The application for clearance was also made at an in-camera hearing.

The man, believed to be terminally ill, who is in his late 60s and lives in Dublin, is living with another woman by whom he has a daughter. He is reported to want to marry her.

His divorce application to the High Court was made under the Constitution, amended following the 1995 divorce referendum result. This course was taken because the Family Law (Divorce) Act, 1996, which followed the outcome of the referendum, is not due to come into force for some weeks.