Custody of children

(1) In any proceedings for divorce or nullity of marriage or judicial separation, the Court may from time to time, either before or by or after the final decree, make such provision as appears just with respect to the custody, maintenance and education of the children, the marriage of whose parents is the subject of the proceedings or, if it thinks fit, direct proper proceedings to be taken for placing the children under the protection of the Court. (2) On an application made in that behalf the Court may, at any time before final decree, in any proceedings for restitution of conjugal rights or, if the respondent fails to comply therewith, after final decree, make from time to time all such orders and provisions with respect to the custody, maintenance and education of the children of the petitioner and respondent as might have been made by interim orders if proceedings for judicial separation had been pending between the same parties. (3) The Court may, if it thinks fit, on any decree of divorce or nullity of marriage, order the husband or, in the case of a 92 petition for divorce by a wife on the ground of her husband’s insanity, order the wife, to secure for the benefit of the children such gross sum of money or annual sum of money as the Court may think reasonable and the Court may for that purpose order that it shall be referred to the Registrar to settle and approve a proper deed or instrument to be executed by all necessary Provided that the term for which any sum of money is secured for the benefit of a child shall not extend beyond the date when the child will attain eighteen years of age.