Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)

Does the family law Bill on the list of Government legislation deal with guardianship rights for unmarried fathers? At present, these individuals are dependent on the goodwill of the mothers of their children or the courts in respect of their guardianship rights. In Scotland, England and Wales, guardianship rights are bestowed upon fathers whose names are listed on birth certificates.

In an article that appeared in yesterday's Irish Examiner, the Minister of State at the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Pat Carey, referred to the relationship between alcohol sales and the drugs problem. In that context, will the sale of alcohol Bill be given priority in the new year?

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