Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

If it is the case that the matter has to go to court and the consent cannot be obtained, for example, where the other parent has no involvement in the child’s life, I would have thought that a District Court judge would take that into account and recognise that there has to be some practical solution to the application that is being brought if the parent who is minding the child needs to get the authorisation of the other parent or guardian in order for some assessment to be carried out if that person is not available or is simply not interested in the child. I would think that most District Court judges would adopt a very sensible approach to that and recognise that the application being brought should be consented to. However, we should try to make life easier for people in difficult situations like that. The method for us to make life easier for them is to try to remove any legislative obstacle that exists in respect of it. I will look at the legislation and discuss it with the Deputy.

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