Waters and Lane and Anor

This matter concerned an application before Ryan J concerning the parental responsibility and time arrangements for three children, Y, N, and H. The parties involved were the maternal grandmother, the father, and the mother. The dispute centred on the arrangements for the children's care, including issues of parental responsibility, the father's time with the children, and the grandmother's role in supervising and facilitating that time.

The court was required to determine the appropriate orders regarding joint parental responsibility, the specific times the father would spend with the children, and the conditions under which this time would occur. Key issues included the extent of supervision required for the father's time with the children, the circumstances under which his time could be suspended, and the communication protocols between the parties regarding the children's health, education, and welfare. The court also had to address restrictions on the parties' conduct in the presence of the children, including prohibitions on denigration, exposure to interpersonal violence, and exposure to individuals affected by alcohol or drugs.

Ryan J made orders establishing joint parental responsibility for the maternal grandmother, father, and mother, with the grandmother having the ultimate decision-making authority on major issues in the absence of agreement. The court detailed specific supervised and unsupervised time arrangements for the father, including conditions for drug testing and the involvement of a supervisor, Ms A. Orders were also made to prevent the children from being exposed to discussions of alleged abuse, to ensure they received protective behaviours education, and to restrict the parties from denigrating each other or exposing the children to harmful environments. The court also addressed time arrangements for the mother, particularly around Christmas and Mother's Day.