26/03/2020
Update on Access and Family Law - COVID 19
The President of the District Court has provided further helpful guidance on Access issues that might arise during the Covid 19 pandemic. In his statement this evening he confirmed that:
The best outcome for children is for parents to contact each other to set out their concerns and suggest ideas for practical solutions that can be put in place. The health concerns of parents, their children and the extended family need to be considered when sorting out arrangements.
As parents, if you agree that the arrangements set out in a court order should be temporarily varied you are free to do so. Make a note of this agreement by way of email or text message. Where a child, by agreement, does not get to spend their usual time with their parent, the court will expect that contact is established and maintained regularly. Using video technologies such as Skype, Zoom, What’s App or Face-Time might help, and if that is not possible telephone conversations should be arranged. These current restrictions mean that the detail of every access order may not be full implementable, but as parents you should make every effort to allow your child to continue access in a safe, alternative way.
It is not always possible for people to make these changes without help. The Family Mediation Service of the Legal Aid Board is offering free telephone mediation and conflict coaching. More details about this service can be found at www.legalaidboard.ie
Some other free parent support services that may be able to help and advise you are www.onefamily.ie and www.treoir.ie
The Courts are still dealing with urgent cases involving domestic violence. Applications for breach of access or maintenance are not generally considered to be urgent.
