COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, December 13, 2021

MOTION NO. 2

MOTION: Councillor P. Gogarty

That this Council writes to the Minister for Justice, the Minister for Children and the Law Society asking for a re-examination of the current restrictive in camera rule for family law cases as there is currently a lack of transparency in relation to how decisions are made and why, how time is allocated, what witnesses are called, how experts such as Section 47 assessors are appointed and how a lack of adequate support for those requiring legal aid can affect the outcome of a case - something especially concerning in relation to many genuine parental alienation claims that require detailed evidence to be provided and - equally importantly, those rarer situations where false parental alienation claims can also be made within the system, supported by recommendations from experts using Gardner's contested Parental Alienation Syndrome theory to "immerse" vulnerable children for weeks or months at a time with the party wrongly claiming alienation - and to look at other ways to achieve better transparency and scrutiny of the system while always protecting children's identities and respecting the independence of the courts.

REPORT:

If this motion is passed a letter will be issued to the Minister for Justice, The Minister for Children and the Law Society. Responses, when received, will be circulated to the members.