Tag Archives: Clare family law courts

A CATTLE dealer served with a child maintenance arrears ultimatum by a judge of “sell a cow or go to jail” has handed €5,000 in €50 notes into court, writes Gordon Deegan At the Family Law Court, the cattle dealer told Judge Mary Larkin that a man he buys cattle for phoned him to help out on his child maintenance arrears debt. Judge Larkin had issued the ‘sell a cow or go to jail’ ultimatum on the cattle dealer last month. The cattle dealer said that the friend gave him a loan of €5,000 in the form of a cheque which he cashed and handed into court. The cattle dealer said: “He is a well-off person and he rang to help me out.” Judge Larkin said that after the €5,000 has been paid over, the cattle dealer owes a further €1,600 in maintenance arrears. After the man handed over the bundle of €50 notes, Judge Larkin told him: “It was …

A JUDGE has given the go-ahead for a Covid-19 vaccine to be administered to a disabled 15-year-old boy against the wishes of the boy’s mother, writes Gordon Deegan. At the Family Law Court in Ennis, Judge Mary Larkin has used a provision in the Child Care Act to allow the Child and Family Agency (CFA) to proceed with the vaccination of the teenager. Solicitor for the CFA, Muiris Gavin told Judge Larkin that the boy’s mother was opposed to him being vaccinated. Judge Larkin granted the order to the CFA under Section 47 of the Childcare Act after the boy’s GP in a letter stated that due to his disabilities the boy “is at risk of serious and potentially fatal complications should he contract the Covid 19 infection”. The court heard that the boy has told his dedicated social worker that he wants the vaccine so that he can go out to town and the cinema again. Judge Larkin said …