Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 12 Mar 1992

Vol. 417 No. 3

Written Answers. - Guardianship Applications.

Ruairí Quinn

Question:

60 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Justice if he will outline, in respect of, (a) the District Court, (b) the Circuit Court and (c) the High Court, the number of applications by natural fathers in non-marital situations for appointment as guardians of their child or children for each of the years between 1988 and 1991, and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Justice (Mr. Flynn)

The information sought by the Deputy, in so far as it is available, is as follows:

District Court:

Legal year ended 31 July	Number of applications for guardianship under section 6A of the Guardianship of Infants Act, 1964 (as inserted by section 12 of the Status of Children Act, 1987)
1989	Information not available
1990	217
1991	274

Circuit Court and High Court:

The position as regards the Circuit Court and the High Court is that the information sought by the Deputy is not available, and to obtain it would require the expenditure of an inordinate amount of staff time which would not be warranted.

However, I can inform the Deputy that the total number of applications for guardianship in these courts for each of the legal years ended 31 July 1988, 1989 and 1990 was 284, 293 and 416 respectively in the Circuit Court and four, six and three respectively in the High Court.