The High Court has made an order pursuant to the Adoption Act 2010 authorising the adoption of a teenage girl by her foster parent despite opposition from her birth parents. Delivering judgment for the High Court in November, Ms Justice Nuala Jackson reasoned that “while I appreciate that ther
Family Law
Major reforms to the family courts have received final approval in the Oireachtas just ahead of the coming election. Once enacted, the Family Courts Bill 2022 will provide for the establishment of family court divisions within the existing court structures, a Family High Court, a Family Circuit
The Family Courts Bill 2022 has been passed by the Seanad. Once enacted, the bill will provide for the establishment of family court divisions within the existing court structures: a Family High Court, a Family Circuit Court and a Family District Court.
"Significant progress" has been made in implementing the recommendations of a landmark review of the role of experts in the family courts, the Department of Justice has said. The review, published in June 2024, examined the commissioning, availability, content, and use of these reports, which may be
Keith Walsh SC analyses the latest figures on divorce and judicial separation cases before the courts. There was a 35.5 per cent increase in applications for divorce and judicial separations before the High Court in 2023, with numbers increasing from 71 cases in 2022 to 91 in 2023.
The Lady Chief Justice of Northern Ireland is to lead a new judicial working group to explore the family court system and make recommendations for improvements and reform. Announcing the move in her speech to mark the opening of the Northern Ireland legal year yesterday, Dame Siobhan Keegan said she
A further milestone has been achieved in the procurement process for the long-awaited dedicated family courts complex at Hammond Lane in Dublin. The National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) today held a market launch for the public-private partnership (PPP) project, at which prospective tenderers
The procurement process for the long-awaited dedicated family courts complex in Dublin has begun in a further milestone for the project.
New legal powers to support the collection of child maintenance will be introduced in Northern Ireland under proposals put out to consultation. The Department for Communities is consulting on proposals in the Child Support Enforcement Bill, which will enhance enforcement and collection powers within
Gore & Grimes Solicitors LLP has promoted Niamh Walsh to partner in the Dublin firm's family law team. Ms Walsh joined the firm as a senior associate in 2021, having previously worked with a specialist family law firm.
Children, couples experiencing relationship breakdown and survivors of domestic violence will continue to face "rough justice" in the family courts under proposed government reforms, a coalition of NGOs and legal groups has warned. Women's Aid, Rape Crisis Network Ireland, Safe Ireland, One Family,
New guidelines are to be introduced on the commissioning, content and use of expert reports in the family courts. Justice minister Helen McEntee today published a wide-ranging review on the subject, which sets out 20 recommendations for reform, including the establishment of a panel of assessors to
Changes are to be made to family law proceedings to prevent parents from abusing controversial concepts like "parental alienation". Justice minister Helen McEntee said ministers had approved reforms to ensure that "issues like parental alienation cannot take hold and cannot be part of any decisions
Northern Ireland's Department of Justice is considering whether journalists should be allowed to report on family court proceedings in response to calls from domestic abuse survivors. Several women have met with the victims of crime commissioner designate to push for increased transparency in the fa
A family lawyer seeking election to the European Parliament has criticised plans to move divorce, judicial separation and cohabitation proceedings to the District Court. Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, a practising barrister who is running as a Fianna Fáil candidate for the Ireland South co