May 2026: Minister for Justice secures Cabinet approval to publish "Valerie's Law"
Frequently Asked Questions on Valerie's Law
This is being written in advance of seeing the text of the Guardianship of Infants (Amendment) Bill 2026 and is not legal advice.
Q: Might contact with the convicted parent be beneficial for the child ?
It might and it would still be completely possible. This is about guardianship not about contact.
Q: Would it be automatic removal of guardianship ?
No. Families are complex and this is about giving the Family Law Courts opportunity and powers to do what is best for surviving children. Any suspension or removal would be at the Court's discretion.
Q: What about cases where a parent kills an abusive parent in self-defence ?
This is why Court discretion taking a full view of what is best for the child is important.
Q: Could someone losing guardianship rights still re-apply ?
It appears so from statements so far but the text of the Bill has not been seen.
Q: Would this come into effect when someone is charged with manslaughter or murder ?
No. Someone is assumed innocent until proven guilty and consideration of guardianship status could only occur after conviction.
Q: Conviction is some time after the crime and the charge, sometimes years, what about the intervening period ?
The current situation makes any future guilty verdict essentially irrelevant to decision-making for the child's future. The potential of guardianship status being removed or suspended in the future (subject to a conviction) could be taken into account in the decisions taken before then by the Courts and other parties.
Q: What further harm can a person convicted of killing do to their child given that the convict will be in prison ?
A guardian is entitled to be informed of the child's progress, who they are living with and where and be involved in major decisions including healthcare, religious upbringing and passport application. This privacy breach and decision-making presence by right in the child's life is deeply problematic and does not put the child first. A guardian can also object to other guardians being appointed or even given notice party status with regard to the child. This allows even further harm to be inflicted.
Q: Is this Constitutional ?
In addition to the Attorney General and the Department of Justice, various legal experts such as Professor Louise Crowley of University College Cork and Associate Professor Brian Tobin of University College Galway have given their opinion that this is constitutionally possible.