Brent and Dardelwill

In the matter of *Brent and Dardelwill*, heard before Justice Cronin, the court was tasked with determining parenting orders concerning the children W, J, and Y. The dispute centred on the allocation of parental responsibility and the specific arrangements for the children's living situation, time spent with each parent, and decision-making regarding their education and health.

The court was required to determine the extent of equal shared parental responsibility, specifically whether the father should be solely responsible for decisions concerning the children's education and health. Further issues included the practical implementation of time spent between the children and the mother, including the nature of supervision and the involvement of other family members, as well as the conditions under which the mother could attend school or health-related appointments. The court also had to consider the communication protocols between the parents regarding the children's schooling and medical care, and the potential consequences of contravening the orders.

Justice Cronin ordered that, save for issues of education and health, the mother and father have equal shared parental responsibility. However, the father was made solely responsible for decisions regarding the children's education and health. Detailed provisions were made to ensure the mother's continued involvement in these areas, including rights to attend school events, receive school communications, and be informed about and potentially attend health appointments. The children were ordered to live with the father, with specific, phased arrangements for the mother to spend time with them, initially under supervision and gradually progressing to unsupervised time. The orders also included provisions for communication, gift-giving, and specific arrangements for holidays and special days, along with consequences for non-compliance and a requirement for both parents to attend a parenting program.