Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The rights of grandparents Bill 2013 did not proceed through the Oireachtas. It was intended to deal with issues around grandparents' access to children. It also sought to provide for the continuous development of the relationship and bond between a grandparent and his or her grandchild. The Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 is a child-centred Act which guarantees the right of children to legal security and to care for their parents and the important adults in their lives. Over the past several months, many grandparents have come into my constituency office. Their problem is that they do not seem to have any access or communication with their grandchildren. The simple reason is either that they have fallen out with their son-in-law or daughter-in-law, or with the other grandparents. These are genuine people who love their grandchildren. I want to know what the Government will do to help grandparents get involved with their grandchildren.

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