38. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration his plans to reform the operation of the in-camera rule in family law proceedings. [70639/26]
Topics / Family Law Cases
A subject heading for parliamentary questionsFamily Law Cases
53 questions from 21 TDs, between 19 March 2025 and 7 October 2026.
53
questions
52 written, 1 oral
21
TDs have asked
9
parties and groups
Independents counted together
3
departments asked
Questions per month
The record holds no questions for August, when the Dáil does not sit.
Jan 2025Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions |
|---|---|
| January 2025 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 0 |
| March 2025 | 6 |
| April 2025 | 1 |
| May 2025 | 2 |
| June 2025 | 2 |
| July 2025 | 1 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 1 |
| October 2025 | 7 |
| November 2025 | 1 |
| December 2025 | 3 |
| January 2026 | 0 |
| February 2026 | 1 |
| March 2026 | 1 |
| April 2026 | 5 |
| May 2026 | 14 |
| June 2026 | 5 |
| July 2026 | 0 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 2 |
| October 2026 | 1 |
Who asks, by party
The party each TD belonged to on the day, in alphabetical order. Parties differ a lot in size, and members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them, so this shows who raised it, not how much a party cares about it.
The TDs who asked most
Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them. Each question counts once.
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14
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7
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5
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3
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3
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3
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2
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2
Asked of
Debated under the same heading
Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.
The questions
676. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to address concerns regarding the use of private, unregulated supervised-access providers in family law proceedings (details supplied); the oversight, safeguarding requirements, Garda vetting, child protection training and professional qualification requirements that apply to private providers appointed or relied upon to supervise …
122. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration further to the High Court declaration (details supplied) the number of complaints of perjury, or of attempting to pervert the course of justice, arising from in camera family law or child care proceedings have been recorded by An Garda Síochána since July 2019; the number that have been investigated; and the number of files that hav…
657. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he is aware of concerns regarding the potential misuse of interim protection orders within the Family Law Court system in the context of high-conflict parental disputes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45209/26]
658. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the legal threshold and evidential basis required for the granting of an interim protection order in the Family Law Courts; the safeguards in place to ensure such orders are proportionate and necessary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45211/26]
659. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether consideration has been given to introducing consequences or deterrents in cases where the Family Law Court process is found to have been knowingly misused, including through the making of false or misleading allegations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45213/26]
660. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the measures in place within the Family Law Court system to ensure that children are protected from the potential negative effects of prolonged or high-conflict parental disputes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45214/26]
661. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether his Department is considering any review of the operation of interim protection orders or broader Family Law Court procedures to ensure an appropriate balance between safeguarding individuals and protecting parental relationships where safe to do so; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45215/26]
798. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the steps being taken to address ongoing difficulties in the enforcement of court ordered maintenance arrangements, particularly in cases where repeated non-payment occurs but arrears are cleared immediately prior to court hearings, resulting in matters being struck-out without judicial consideration of the pattern of breaches. [39310…
799. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether consideration is being given to reforms that would allow courts to examine patterns of repeated non-compliance with maintenance orders, even where arrears have been discharged shortly before a hearing, in order to prevent the system being used to avoid accountability. [39311/26]
800. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the measures in place to protect individuals from incurring significant legal costs in pursuing enforcement of maintenance orders, particularly where proceedings repeatedly collapse due to last minute payments; and whether reforms are being considered in this area. [39312/26]
801. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the average time taken to bring enforcement proceedings for maintenance arrears before the courts; and whether delays in progressing such cases are being examined as part of broader justice system reform. [39313/26]
802. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the supports available for lay litigants in family law proceedings, particularly those seeking to enforce maintenance orders without legal representation; and whether additional measures are planned to ensure they are afforded fair access and adequate time before the courts. [39314/26]
803. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the frequency with which attachment of earnings orders are granted in maintenance cases; and whether the threshold for granting such orders is being reviewed in light of repeated non-compliance scenarios. [39315/26]
804. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether any assessment has been carried out into whether individuals with higher incomes or professional standing are better able to delay or avoid enforcement of maintenance obligations; and the safeguards that exist to ensure equality before the law in such cases. [39316/26]
805. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether the Department has examined the broader social and emotional impact on parents and children arising from prolonged enforcement disputes in family law; and the supports that are available to affected families. [39318/26]
806. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether consideration is being given to the establishment of a more robust, centralised system for the collection and enforcement of maintenance payments, similar to models in other jurisdictions, to reduce reliance on repeated court applications. [39319/26]
29. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the implementation plan for the Family Courts Act 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35773/26]
40. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the timeline for when legislation will be introduced to bring transparency, accountability and fairness into the family courts, prioritising children's safety; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35796/26]
52. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he would consider changes to protect the rights of non-verbal children in the legal process such as the automatic appointment of advocates to represent the child in any investigation or legal process and specialist training for gardaí and legal professionals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35572/26]
72. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the average waiting time for criminal and family law cases in Cork city and county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34605/26]
829. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration further to Parliamentary Question No. 420 of 7 October 2025, if he will provide an update on guidelines from the Judicial Committee established in July 2024, further to a review of the role of expert reports in the family law process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34524/26]
842. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration which of the 21 recommendations from the 2025 Review of the Operation of the in Camera Rule in Family Law Proceedings are to be enacted; the recommendations that may be enacted following the review; the recommendations that definitely will not be enacted; the timeframe for implementation of agreed recommendations; and if he w…
843. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will address the significant cost barriers associated with Section 32 Voice of the Child reports which can range from €700 to €5,000; the steps being taken to ensure that children from lower income families are not denied the opportunity to have their views heard in family law proceedings; and if he will make a statemen…
844. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration when the proposed national panel of accredited assessors for Section 32 and Section 47 reports will be established, as recommended in the 2024 Review of Expert Reports in the Family Law Process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30307/26]