Guardianship of Infants and Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2026: Committee and Remaining Stages
Seanad Éireann — 2026-06-30
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Jim O'Callaghan (FF), Dublin Bay South

The purpose of these amendments is to set out which courts shall have responsibility for applications under this section. In particular, amendment No. 15 sets out under the new Family Courts Act, which District Court will have responsibility. It will be the family District Court and it applies to the other courts as well. It will apply to the Circuit Court, which is to be construed as a reference to the family Circuit Court and a judge of the District Court shall be a judge of the family District Court.
Senators will be aware that the Family Courts Act was enacted in 2024. I published an implementation plan. When this legislation is up and running and the Family Courts Act has commenced, we want to see those courts deal with this.
Obviously, in advance of the commencement of the family District Court, this legislation will still be operative and operational in the District Court.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-06-30/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:55:07+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-06-30