Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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291. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 106 of 9 November 2022, if there has been any further progress in the consultation process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63119/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Minister McEntee recently held a public consultation on the topic of parental alienation, which provided a valuable opportunity for stakeholders and citizens to express their views on this complex issue and inform my Department’s thinking on whether any legislative and/or policy changes may be required.

All views, opinions and experiences submitted as part of that consultation have been welcomed. The responses received are being carefully reviewed.

My Department also arranged for a separate strand of independent research on parental alienation to be carried out last year. I am pleased to say that a final report has been received by my Department and is now being reviewed.

It is expected that both the research and the public consultation will create a deeper understanding of the issue, and inform the Department’s consideration of policy and law in this area.

Work is ongoing to integrate these strands of work, and I expect to receive a report outlining the outcome of the research and consultation process and any resulting recommendations to arise from it early in 2023.