A national solidarity walk, calling for urgent reform of the family court, is set to take place today, Wednesday, 30 September. Campaigners will walk from the Four Courts to Leinster House.
‘Walk In Our Shoes’ is a grassroot, volunteer-led campaign that is calling for urgent reform in the family court system, citing that the family courts need to be more consistent, transparent and trauma-informed.
Ireland’s legal system uses precedent to help finalise judgements, however, according to the Limerick campaign coordinator, Trish Horrigan-Lehane, “in family law, precedent is hardly every used.”
The campaign is particularly seeking to change the in-camera rule, claiming that judgments need to be published to ensure that there is consistency in all jurisdictions across the country.
“What happens in one place is never shown in another place,” according to Ms Horrigan-Lehane, “solicitors, lay litigants and the general public have no idea why decisions are being made, what’s the reasoning behind why they were made, and there’s no consistency about how they’re being made.”
Ms Horrigan-Lehane explained that it is in public interest to ensure that there is consistency and transparency in how judgements are being made. “Judgements must be published. It doesn’t matter that it’s not landmark or it’s not of public interest. Public interest is, have we got consistency?”
“What we are looking for is consistency; we’re looking for transparency, and transparency should not mean secrecy,” Ms Horrigan-Lehane explained, “there is nothing wrong with them publishing judgements and redacting the names of the children and the parties.”
The campaign is also aiming to highlight the importance of the voices of children in family court proceedings. “The voice of the child is paramount,” Ms Horrigan-Lehane expressed, ‘you have to look at the best interest of the child.’
A similar protest took place on Sunday, 27 September in Limerick. This protest was part of a simultaneous one-mile solidarity walk that took place across 26 counties. Those participating in the walk were invited to wear black and carry children’s shoes to represent the children that have been affected by family court decisions.