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Most parents in child care court cases are not married and raising children alone

That’s according to a report launched by the Child Care Law Reporting Project.

A FAMILY COURT to handle child care orders is needed as soon as possible, according to the second Interim Report from the Child Care Law Reporting Project.

The report examined 486 cases from September of last year until July 2014. The cases involved 864 children – just over 20% of all children in court-ordered care.

It found that nearly one in three of the children involved had special needs while one in four cases involved a parent from an ethnic minority.

It also discovered that the vast majority of parents were single or separated and parenting alone – 90% of parents were unmarried and one in 6 suffer from cognitive or mental disability.

The Director of the report, Carol Coulter, says the cases are not given the attention they need or deserve in most Irish courts.

She pointed out that in most courts outside Dublin child care cases are heard on the general family law day, when there can be up to 70 or 80 cases on the list.

In one case the judge refused long-term care orders for a number of children, granting short orders instead and saying he would give the younger children back to the mother, despite the fact that a doctor gave compelling evidence of severe physical abuse.

“But the courts alone are not the answer to the problems of vulnerable families. Society as a whole must take responsibility for supporting them so that taking children into care is a last resort – albeit one that is necessary in certain circumstances.”

Coulter added that, “The disproportionate representation of non-Irish parents in the child care courts makes an urgent case for a renewed focus on integration policies, ensuring that those coming to our shores understand what is expected of them as parents.”

Read: Parents agree to allow disabled children stay in care>

Read: Five children taken into care after abuse allegations>

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28 Comments
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    Mute Anthony Curran
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    Jun 5th 2024, 8:39 PM

    And that was a party political article on behalf of the Fine Gael party!

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    Mute Liam23
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    Jun 5th 2024, 8:48 PM

    @Anthony Curran: scroll down and you’ll have the SF political article featuring Mary Sue

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    Mute Bryan Mc Mahon
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    Jun 5th 2024, 9:16 PM

    @Liam23: Mary Sue, Brilliant

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    Mute james rowan
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    Jun 6th 2024, 8:06 AM

    @Anthony Curran: and the journal,,

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    Mute james rowan
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    Jun 6th 2024, 9:09 AM

    @james rowan: the journal so one sided we can comment on this fg article but we cant comment on the Mary Lou article above,,,

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    Mute and the hit's just keep coming
    Favourite and the hit's just keep coming
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    Jun 5th 2024, 8:33 PM

    Why is leo getting so much press from the journal?? He is intending on making a run for president in the future?? Seems like he is settling himself up for it

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    Mute another one? what's going on is the semi state sec
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    Jun 5th 2024, 8:48 PM

    @and the hit’s just keep coming: he’s about as likeable as a mouth ulcer on your tongue that keep rubbing off your teeth

    365
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    Mute Stiles
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    Jun 5th 2024, 8:49 PM

    @and the hit’s just keep coming: he had his chance.. drank from the poison chalice … wudnt send him for a bag of chips.. all mouth now..

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    Mute Dvsespaña
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    Jun 5th 2024, 10:09 PM

    @and the hit’s just keep coming: Exactly, I have said as much myself in the past. He is following the exact same strategy that got him to the position of Taoiseach, giving statements and releasing soundbites on everything and anything, just to promote his brand and keep himself in the news and recognisable.

    While actually having nothing of value to say on them, much less anything of value to contribute in response to them.

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    Mute Vincent Alexander
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    Jun 6th 2024, 9:07 AM

    @another one? what’s going on is the semi state sec: Comment says more about the mentality of SF supporters than it does about about Leo Varadkar.

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    Mute Damien Leahy
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    Jun 5th 2024, 8:41 PM

    What’s the story will all the leo posts? Haven’t we suffered enough of this gombeen already?

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    Mute and the hit's just keep coming
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    Jun 5th 2024, 8:43 PM

    @Damien Leahy: im glad im not the only one can see he is getting a lot of free press for some reason

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    Mute Paul Gorry
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    Jun 5th 2024, 8:36 PM

    Leo, nobody likes you. Stay safe.

    287
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    Mute Donna Fallon
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    Jun 6th 2024, 2:29 AM

    @Paul Gorry: a little bit ominous no??…

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    Mute Paul Gorry
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    Jun 6th 2024, 2:46 AM

    @Donna Fallon: Sure you’re living in a tent, i seem to remember Donna? Did Leo come good for you?

    62
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    Mute john murray
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    Jun 5th 2024, 9:57 PM

    Great puff piece for the party that gave print media and associated online media 0% tax to pay. Keep em happy. Good job.

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    Mute Finn Barr
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    Jun 5th 2024, 8:45 PM

    Leo your forehead is after getting very tall.
    On Friday:
    Nationalists/Independents ✅✅✅

    Woke Zombies (FF, FG, G, SF, PBP, LAB, SD)✖️✖️✖️

    212
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    Mute Finn Barr
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    Jun 5th 2024, 9:13 PM

    I think Varadkar is going for the Michael D ”hairy mudguards over the ears” look.

    Áras, here we come!

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    Mute Jacintha Dumbrell
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    Jun 6th 2024, 2:45 AM

    @Finn Barr: ‘Nationalists’ put Fine Gael back to the top of the polls, lol!

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    Mute M To The B
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    Jun 6th 2024, 11:09 AM

    @Finn Barr: woke zombies all the way over the “nationalist” traitors!

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    Mute Super241946
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    Jun 6th 2024, 11:35 AM

    @Finn Barr: I agree, he’s probably after a piece of Aras!

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    Mute rastaman187
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    Jun 5th 2024, 10:42 PM

    Who believes this fella, when he took over from enda Kenny, he scraped in and they had to form a government with their sworn enemies… what an absolute bluffer… never lost it never will

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    Mute Louise Marie
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    Jun 6th 2024, 12:39 AM

    When Leo wakes up in the morning, Christina Finn is waiting at the end of his bed to ask if she can write another puff piece about him and / or Fine Gael.

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    Mute Karen Marten
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    Jun 5th 2024, 9:02 PM

    What energy has he brought he’s boring snivelling useless like all before him

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    Mute Tim
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    Jun 6th 2024, 6:28 AM

    And nobody mentioned immigration.

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    Mute James Gate
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    Jun 6th 2024, 7:06 AM

    This isn’t Journalism its propaganda

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    Mute John Dennehy
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    Jun 6th 2024, 7:19 AM

    FG and FF should officially join forces and become one party. There is zero difference between them now, and they have been great bedfellows in government in destroying the country. A vote for FG is a vote for FF and vice versa.

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    Mute Sun Rise
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    Jun 6th 2024, 1:42 AM

    Whilst I am not the greatest fan of Leo Varadkar, it amuses me that he gets so much grief on here for being useless. He has made more of his life and achieved beyond anything his immature detractors on here ever will. Like him or not, he puts all of you to shame and stands head and shoulders above you all.

    60
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    Mute Paul Gorry
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    Jun 6th 2024, 1:58 AM

    @Sun Rise: You’re correct he gets a lot of grief for being useless. It amuses you that he gets so much said grief? Jaysus h christ STOP with that nonsense.

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    Mute Oh Mammy
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    Jun 5th 2024, 11:36 PM

    “What about the children Leo?” …….Trump is a bad man…..

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    Mute Peter Byrne
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    Jun 6th 2024, 6:09 AM

    Leo made more of his life than all the useless keyboard warriors on here

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    Mute Paul Gorry
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    Jun 6th 2024, 6:24 AM

    @Peter Byrne: says the useless keyboard warrior peter Byrne.

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    Mute martin finnegan
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    Jun 6th 2024, 10:07 AM

    Did a bad job in government but lets vote him president. As ff and fg can do no wrong but sinn never in government getting alot bad publicity. Lets not forgot the state country and that man was part of it.

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    Mute K O
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    Jun 6th 2024, 11:05 AM

    Anyone who gives a preference for ff, fg, liebour sinn Fein social democrats people before profit need accept everything they get from these traitor’s

    19
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    Mute SV3tN8M4
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    Jun 6th 2024, 7:58 PM

    Varadkar did a runner & left a mess behind, but cant leave the limelight & is back again telling everyone how to run things. He abandoned the stage, he shouldn’t be getting any airtime, he had his chance & his legacy will be how he abandoned those who get up for work every morning, the very ones he said he supported. Don’t want to hear or see his face again.

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    Mute martin finnegan
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    Jun 6th 2024, 1:14 PM

    Sadly K O . Sinnfein are the only party big enough to challenge these shower. Do not trust impedance who they get money from to run and then when in if get in too small to challenge sad but is true. 100 years enough need give sinnfein chance then judge them

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    Mute James T.Kirk
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    Jun 6th 2024, 12:15 PM

    Coffeesaoich.

    5
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    Mute Sean oSuilleabhain
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    Jun 8th 2024, 2:22 PM

    He’s a complete disgrace to this country and so is everyone in FG who backed Regina Doherty, normalising her another proud Thatcherite. Officially too scared of his constituents not to just run for cover and was a horrible Taoiseach

    3
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