Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Does one need a solicitor for a family court? What I mean by that is that I believe that one can represent oneself if one makes an application but one cannot take anyone else in unless they are either a solicitor or a barrister. I spoke to a young lad from Dundalk recently who went to the family court and wanted to take in a friend of his to represent him but he was not allowed to take his friend in. Is it true that one has to be either a solicitor or a barrister to represent a client?