Parental alienation review
Deputy Durkan seeks a preliminary inquiry into family law reform and what he calls parental alienation, saying it harms mothers and some fathers. After the Chair identifies the issue, the Taoiseach says a review appears to have been done and he will speak to the Minister for Justice about next steps.
I apologise for being absent last night when the Topical Issue debate was due to deal with the issue I will now raise again, that of family legislation reform. I congratulate the Minister on her success to date and her intentions to carry out those reforms by the end of the year. I am asking today for a preliminary inquiry into the activities which are ongoing and which are to the distinct disadvantage of many mothers and some fathers, and are a serious dereliction of what the public should expect. I would ask that that be done as a means of informing further the debate that will take place by the end of the year.