Childs and Brennan and Anor

This matter concerned an application before Barry J regarding the care and responsibility for four children: B, J, M, and S. The dispute involved the parents and the paternal grandmother, with the court ultimately making orders concerning the living arrangements and parental responsibility for the children.

The court was required to determine the primary residence of each child, the allocation of sole parental responsibility for their care, welfare, and development, and the specific arrangements for each child to spend time with other family members. Further issues included the financial responsibilities for travel costs associated with these arrangements, communication protocols between the parties, and the extent to which the mother could access information regarding the children's schooling and medical treatment.

Barry J ordered that children B and J live with the paternal grandmother, who was granted sole parental responsibility. Children M and S were ordered to live with the mother, who was also granted sole parental responsibility for them. The orders detailed specific arrangements for the children to spend time with their father and/or paternal grandmother, and for B and J to spend time with their mother, including provisions for agreed times and, in the absence of agreement, specific holiday periods. The court also established protocols for communication, including telephone contact and the exchange of information regarding schooling and medical care, with specific provisions for the mother's access to school reports and medical information.