VoterConnect.ie

We use Google Analytics to see which pages are read and how the site is used, so we know what to improve. This only runs if you accept. See our privacy notice for details.

Back to topics

Family law

Follow

5 items

Part of
Justice
Narrower topics
Domestic violence
Enacted

Guardianship of Infants and Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2026

The proposal would let a court restrict or remove a parent’s or guardian’s rights over a child where that guardian has been convicted of killing, or seriously assaulting, another guardian, or of another very serious offence that has harmed the child’s welfare. It also sets out how the Child and Family Agency can apply, how courts should review or delay orders until safe care is in place, and how children can be represented in those cases. The aim is to protect children while making the child’s best interests the main factor in every decision.
Dáil

Education Policy

Updated SPHE curriculum now covers consent, healthy relationships and abuse at junior and senior cycle, with phased rollout to 2027 and extensive teacher training, while calls were made to move the content earlier and strengthen student engagement.
Seanad

Oceanwide Expeditions liner

Senator McCarthy raised the case of a cruise liner off Cape Verde that is unable to dock, affecting passengers including a well-known former colleague.
Current

Child Maintenance Bill 2026

Creates a new out-of-court system for working out child maintenance, with the Revenue Commissioners doing the calculations using standard rules instead of the courts in most cases. Parents and carers would get a notice of the amount, can accept or challenge it, and if everyone agrees it becomes binding and enforceable; if not, the matter goes to court. It also allows for exceptions where the standard formula would be unfair, updates when circumstances change, appeals against Revenue decisions, and penalties for giving false information. The aim is to make maintenance faster, more consistent, and less stressful for families, while helping reduce child poverty.
Current

Housing Loans Regulations (Fresh Start - Buyout) (Amendment) Bill 2026

The bill would change the housing loan rules so that someone who stays in the family home after a divorce or legal separation can apply to their local authority for a housing loan to buy out their former partner’s share. It matters because it gives people in that situation a way to keep the home without having to leave simply because they cannot get mortgage finance elsewhere.