Vol. 478 No. 1
187 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Justice the number of fathers of children born outside marriage who were granted joint guardianship rights over their children in each of the past ten years upon an application being made to the District Court with the consent of the mother that such joint guardianship rights be granted. [10371/97]
188 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Justice the number of applications made in each of the past ten years pursuant to the Status of Children Act, 1987, in which fathers of children born outside marriage have sought joint guardianship rights to their children in contested proceedings before the courts; the number of such cases in which fathers were granted such rights; and the number in which fathers were denied such rights. [10372/97]
189 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Justice the number of applications made to district courts, circuit courts and the High Court in each of the past ten years by unmarried or single fathers seeking guardianship rights, custody rights and access rights to their children; the number of such applications in each year which were granted; and the number which were refused by decisions made at first instance or an appeal. [10373/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 187, 188 and 189 together.
Statistics on the number of guardianship applications made by unmarried fathers to the District Court for the years ending 31 July 1989 to 31 July 1996 are set out on the attached table. Statistics for earlier years are not available.
In relation to the guardianship figures supplied for the District Court, court statistics are not maintained in such a way as to indicate how many of these applications were dealt with by consent or were contested.
Court statistics are not maintained in such a way as to provide information on the number of guardianship applications made by unmarried or single fathers to the Circuit or High Court in the first instance or on appeal. Similarly court statistics on custody and access applications do not indicate how many of these applications were made by unmarried fathers.
Applications for Guardianship made to the District Court by fathers (unmarried) under Section 6 of the Guardianship of Infants Act, 1964 as amended by the Status of Children Act, 1987.
|
Year Ending |
Applications |
Orders Granted |
|
31-7-1989 |
76 |
25 |
|
31-7-1990 |
215 |
190 |
|
31-7-1991 |
276 |
251 |
|
31-7-1992 |
347 |
312 |
|
31-7-1993 |
531 |
477 |
|
31-7-1994 |
562 |
436 |
|
31-7-1995 |
727 |
556 |
|
31-7-1996 |
747 |
621 |
