Guardians Ad Litem
Dail Éireann — 2026-06-23
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Claire Kerrane (SF), Roscommon-Galway

I believe that the Minister would agree and acknowledge that legal representation has been a major issue and one that GALs themselves have brought forward. It is something that they are genuinely concerned about it and something I have raised with the Minister many times. Given that it genuinely has been an issue, will it be looked at and data kept in terms of where legal representation from a GAL is sought and either approved or not approved? I have asked many times and I still do not have an answer as to why we would remove the guaranteed legal representation for a GAL standing in a court of law in which they may never have stood before, usually against Tusla and its representation and a parent and their legal representation. A GAL who has never been in a court in their life could be standing there with no legal representation. When I put this to the head of the national service, she told me that if there was an issue one day in court, the service would look at it again. However, what are the consequences of that day in court? That child could be sent here, there or anywhere. Looking at it the next day really is not good enough, given the consequences that this can have on a child's life. Will data be held in relation to that legal representation, given that it genuinely has been an issue?

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-06-23/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:55:06+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-06-23