Pregnant mother agrees twins should enter Tusla care after birth

By Darragh McCann, The Wicklow People

The Child and Family Agency (Tusla) has secured a three-month extension of an interim care order, after a court heard the child’s mother, who is expecting twins, accepts she will not be able to care for the newborns.

Representatives for Tusla appeared at an in-camera family law sitting at Bray District Court seeking an extension to the youth’s interim care order.

Solicitor acting for Tusla, Donnacha Hennessy, informed the court that the respondent mother and her legal counsel had agreed to a three-month extension for her current child in the care of the State, but she is also currently pregnant with twins, who “she accepted she won’t have the capacity to look after”.

He added that, in the interests of transparency with the mother, an application would be made for the newborns to be taken into the care of Tusla upon delivery.

The court was told that the Child and Family Agency was seeking a longer adjournment until August to allow the mother time to “engage with the court process”.

However, Mr Hennessy said that, under the legislation, the mother must have time with her newborn children.

A social worker testified that the minor is currently thriving in their placement and has also had some positive engagement with the respondent.

It was noted that the mother has regular contact with the child, with her “turning up to every meeting and being present”.

Judge David Kennedy said the threshold for the order had been met and granted an extension to the interim care order for the minor.