On 1 April 2025, I secured Government approval for the referral of the Scheme of the Guardianship of Infants (Amendment) Bill for pre-legislative scrutiny, and for the formal drafting of a Bill once pre-legislative scrutiny is complete. The General Scheme has been published and is available on Gov.ie: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-justice/press-releases/minister-jim-ocallaghan-secures-cabinet-approval-of-the-general-scheme-of-the-guardianship-of-infants-amendment-bill-2025.

The General Scheme of the Guardianship of Infants (Amendment) Bill 2025, was referred to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration for pre-legislative scrutiny on 19 May, and my officials have briefed the Committee on the Bill.

The proposed legislation delivers on the Programme for Government commitment to “examine proposals to remove guardianship rights from those convicted of killing their partners or a parent of their child” and upholds a fundamental principle that those convicted of the most serious crimes should not retain automatic legal authority over the children they have left behind.  The proposal to legislate is also part of ongoing work to implement appropriate recommendations from the Study on Familicide and Domestic and Family Violence Death Reviews.