Green Party Motions on Single Fathers' Rights

Elizabeth Davidson of the GP Equality Group and Seán Ó Buachalla of the Meath Greens, speak in support of their collective motion (Motions 10 and 11) on the need to address the issue of the lack of legal rights for single fathers in Ireland. The motions in question were passed by a large majority at the national party conference on Saturday 12th of April 2008. The wording of the motions were as follows:


Motion 10 from the Equality Policy Group:

In the context of Children's rights the GP/CG moves that natural/unmarried fathers should have equal guardianship of and reasonable access to their children. Relating to custody there should be automatic rights and obligations of the natural father where the child has lost the society of its mother, Further in the context of children's rights that in the event of marital breakdown and/or separation GPCG moves that existing joint custody rights be maintained


Motion 11 from the Meath Greens:

Following on from our party's strong advocacy for legal recognition of relationships outside of the traditional nuclear family unit, Convention urges our government representatives to address at cabinet, the issue of the lack of legal protection for biological fathers of a child/children, when said father does not have a legalised relationship with the mother of said child/children.

It should be recognised that fathers in this situation are in a very weak and vulnerable position as regards consistent and regular access to their child/children and that the lack of legislation/constitutional articles in this respect only exacerbates this situation.

Further to this, Convention believes that the adversarial court system is not suited to family law, as it is based on a premise of encouraging hostility between the parties involved. This point should be accepted in any new legal provisions and the focus in access disputes should be on mediation and dialogue between the parties involved, on arrangements/settlements that are fair to all involved.

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• comhaontas
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• dundalk
• 2008
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• greens
• single
• fathers'
• rights
• conference

[MrTalktothebear]

YES! bring this message to america

[Prankmonkey]

plase join my favebook group for rights for fathers

[omline]

@bjoe427

i didnt have one but i wasnt oblivious to what they do they seem more of an inconvienince than anything else the only good for bringing in money if they have a job btw my father never payed child support once my mother wanted nothing at all to ever do with him again small blame him being the average man in all but thats straying from the point but my main point stays the same fathers are mostly useless and not needed

[bjoe427]

@omline

yes,the laws are not good for fathers,you say fathers are useless,how can you say that when you never had one.look fathers follow there children around,because they want to be part of your life,so i guess fathers money is useless to.so how about not goulging him for money and leaving him alone,then he would leave you alone.see thats the problem.extortion in the name of a child.so if your father didnt pay support i can see why and wouldnt blame him.but let me tell y

[omline]

fathers are useless anyway they should leave it alone i had no father and never suffered from depression or otherwise though i did hate him chasing me and my mother around the county other than that i was better off all this father stuff is BS from bitter men

[SouthDownIPLO]

its good the green party are doing something about these laws

[SouthDownIPLO]

i havent seen my daughter for thtree years now,because i wasnt married i dont have much rights i live in dundalk and it is hard to get a good solictor

[leebee39]

i know its makeing me think about it only thing stoped me is child i have with me it really hurts when you cant give one with you much cause you give it to the xxs

[leebee39]

shild suport makeing me think things i shouldnt

[josephbaska2000]

cris6459s storey is not uncomon, i to ame going through the same thing. witch is why i ame trying to start a mens rights group. i ame interested in tallking to any one that is going through this same thing i would like to use the storeys as referances on you tube videous as well as a web site ime going to try to put toghther some time in 2009. this is blatent discrimination and it has to stop.