Jillian van Turnhout (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I commend and support Senator Power's amendments.It is an interesting set of amendments which would provide a framework for the rebuttal of a presumption of guardianship rights. In 1982 and again in 2010 the Law Reform Commission recommended two guiding principles for automatic guardianship - the best interests of the child and that all parents should be treated equally, regardless of gender or marital status - linked with compulsory joint registration of the birth of the child. I believe that with these amendments Senator Averil Power strives to strike a balance, while also providing safeguards. They would also send a clear signal that all fathers were equally responsible for their children. I commend her for submitting them.