Thursday 29 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 12626Access application (family law) · Co. Clare · 22 Sep 2025

Estranged gay couple in Family Law Court fight over access to two children

An estranged gay couple appeared before the Family Law Court in Ennis, where the non-biological father applied for ten access visits per year to two children under five born to surrogate mothers overseas. The biological father vigorously opposed the application, and Judge Alec Gabbett adjourned the case to the following month.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court22 Sep
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
20 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe applicant has no biological link to the two children. (clareecho.ie)
  • whatThe applicant applied for ten access visits per year to see the two children. (clareecho.ie)
  • whatThe man is named on the baptismal certificates as a parent but not on the birth certificates. (clareecho.ie)
  • whatThe two men were never married. (clareecho.ie)
  • whatBoth children are aged under five. (clareecho.ie)
  • whatThe applicant said he was always a Dad to the two children. (clareecho.ie)
  • whatThe applicant said he did all the feeding, nappy changes, and night feeds. (clareecho.ie)
  • whatThe applicant said he was co-parenting. (clareecho.ie)
  • whatThe applicant said he was not applying for guardianship but for ten access visits each year. (clareecho.ie)
  • whatThe applicant took two weeks of parental leave when the second baby arrived. (clareecho.ie)
  • whatA 10-minute montage of home videos was played to the court. (clareecho.ie)
  • whatThe applicant travelled to the overseas location around the time the babies were born to support his partner. (clareecho.ie)
  • whatThe applicant ended the relationship and has had six access visits since, the last in January of this year. (clareecho.ie)
  • whatThe biological father has a new partner. (clareecho.ie)
  • whatThe father said the children have seen the applicant for only ten hours in eighteen months. (clareecho.ie)
  • whatThe applicant did not reside with the father and children and lived mainly at his own address elsewhere in Ireland. (clareecho.ie)
  • courtThe case came before the Family Law Court in Ennis. (clareecho.ie)
  • courtJudge Gabbett said he could not take into account the views of the children as they are too small. (clareecho.ie)
  • courtJudge Gabbett adjourned the case to the following month. (clareecho.ie)
  • courtThe applicant's counsel is Emily Ryan BL. (clareecho.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 22 Sep2025
    In courtclareecho.ie, first report
    Estranged gay couple in court fight over access to two children - Clare Echo

    First report of the access application hearing at the Family Law Court in Ennis.

    accused, maleaccused, male