Family Law, A Year in Review - 2025
Family Law Review for 2025
Major Reform to the Family Court System
The Family Courts Act 2024 (now being implemented). Although signed into law late in 2024, the Family Courts Act 2024 has effectively become one of 2025’s central Family Law legislative developments, although it’s full implementation is some way off. Click on the link for a free comprehensive review of the legislation Free Download
- It establishes dedicated Family Court divisions within the existing court system Family High Court, Family Circuit Court, and Family District Court.
- Judges with specialist experience will sit full time on these divisions.
- The Act enshrines a set of guiding principles focussed on the best interests of the child, efficiency, user friendliness, and active case management.
- There is emphasis on alternative dispute resolution processes.
Procedural and Court Practice Changes.
New Family Law Court Forms (District Court), from the 3rd of June 2025, redesigned family law forms came into effect for, Domestic Violence, Maintenance, Arrangements for Children (including custody, guardianship, and access). These have been introduced to improve clarity and administrative efficiency for applicants and practitioners. These forms are really good but remember that most District Courts will still require an appointment to file your paperwork and you will need to have printed the form(s) prior to attending the Court Office. See this link for more info Law Society of Ireland
Family Law Portal Pilot & Digital Modernisation. In 2025, the Courts Service piloted a Family Law filing portal in Dublin to digitalise Circuit Court Family Law proceedings, with plans to expand nationwide. This is a huge step for the court Service and for lay litigants and practitioners alike. I have used this new portal and other than a few minor teething problems and getting used to the layout it works very well.
Filing of documents is done online with digital signatures, gone is the need to have Affidavits sworn this is replaced with a digitally signed ‘Statement of Truth’. Once an application is accepted it is given a Record Number and you are provide with a secure link that you can send to the other side by email. Once they receive the email and click on the link opening the filings, service has deemed to have taken place. However, if the recipient of the email chooses not to open the link and use the portal, then after a set period you will be required to send a physical copy of the papers. You can continue to use the Portal for the rest of the case to digitally file further pleadings etc and at any time the other side can engage through the portal. This is a huge step forward in attempting to modernise a document heavy process. Hopefully it will continue and be expanded to become available nationwide. For more info click on this link Courts.ie Family Law Portal
In Camera Rule: Review and Debate
A Government Research Report of a formal review of the ‘in camera’ rule (which keeps family law courts private) was published, exploring how it operates and is understood by stakeholders. The report is part of the Family Justice Strategy. Legal bodies and practitioners have noted that the rule is inconsistently applied, leading to calls for clearer legislative articulation and potentially reform. Proposals surfaced suggesting survivors of domestic abuse could waive anonymity in family law cases to name abusers — part of broader privacy-rules discussion.
Briefly, Family Law cases are usually heard in private (‘in camera’), and there are limits on what can be reported, mainly to protect the privacy of the people involved and any children. The research includes views from a wide range of stakeholders, including people who have been parties to Family Law cases, and it sets out 21 recommendations such as renaming and clearly defining the rule so it is easier to understand and apply, and making sure it does not stop people from getting support outside court. It also supports keeping Family Law hearings private, protecting children’s and parties’ privacy, and leaving the court with discretion to relax the rule where that is in the interests of justice. At the same time, it proposes ways to improve transparency, including allowing certain media to attend and creating a private Family Law reporting system. I have carried out a comprehensive analysis of the report and it can be found here in my BlogSpot. BlogSpot
Proposed and Developing Legislation
There is active progress on the General Scheme of the Guardianship of Infants (Amendment) Bill 2025, commonly referred to as ‘Valerie’s Law’. It aims to remove guardianship rights from a parent convicted of murdering the other parent or for serious offences affecting another guardian. Tusla (the Child and Family Agency) would apply to the courts to have guardianship suspended or removed. Includes provisions for Guardian ad Litem representation for children. This scheme is under pre-legislative consideration and expected to proceed through Oireachtas scrutiny.
Broader Related Legislative Moves Impacting Families
Government approval has been secured for changes to family reunification policy under immigration law. New rules will tighten eligibility (e.g., requiring proof of financial resources), which could affect non-EEA families seeking to live together in Ireland. Again briefly, the Government has approved proposals to change the law so that family reunification would only be available where the sponsor is financially self-sufficient and able to support the family members they want to bring to Ireland, with ineligibility flagged where the sponsor is receiving certain welfare supports. For non EEA family reunification more generally (Irish citizens and most non-EEA residents), it confirms publication of a revised policy which keeps reunification mainly to immediate family (spouse / partner and children under 18), places tighter limits on extended family and adult dependants, and emphasises that sponsors must show a clear ability to support family members without reliance on State funds; it also notes practical changes such as applications being made while family members are outside the State, the introduction of an application fee, and a move over time towards requiring suitable private accommodation before family members arrive.
Ongoing Pressures and Commentary
Research and advocacy groups have highlighted that family law processes, especially in cases involving domestic abuse, can retraumatise survivors and that reforms are urgently needed to improve safety and outcomes. Click on the link to commentary on the research Trinity College Dublin
Separately, the Legal Aid Board and legal community have warned that funding shortages are causing delays in divorce and custody cases, placing further pressure on the Family Law system. This link to an Irish Times article provides more details The Irish Times
Final thoughts for 2025
Taken together, the developments in Family Law during 2025 mark a clear and welcome shift in direction. While many of the reforms are still at an early or transitional stage, the overall trajectory is positive and purposeful. The introduction of specialist Family Court divisions, the move towards active case management, and the growing emphasis on child centred principles all signal a justice system that is striving to be more humane, efficient and responsive to the realities faced by families in crisis.
The procedural changes introduced this year, particularly the modernised court forms and the pilot Family Law Portal, represent meaningful progress in reducing complexity and delay. For both practitioners and lay litigants, these innovations have the potential to make the system more accessible and less intimidating, while preserving fairness and due process. Although resourcing challenges and regional inconsistencies remain, the foundations for a more modern family justice system are clearly being laid.
Equally important is the renewed focus on transparency, protection and accountability. The review of the in camera rule, alongside proposed legislative reforms such as Valerie’s Law, reflects a growing willingness to confront difficult issues and to place the welfare and safety of children and vulnerable parties at the centre of decision making. While these conversations are not always easy, they are essential if trust in the system is to be strengthened.
There is no doubt that pressures persist, particularly in relation to legal aid, delays and the experience of survivors of domestic abuse and meaningful reform will require sustained political commitment and adequate funding. However, 2025 can fairly be seen as a year of movement rather than stagnation. With continued implementation, careful oversight and a willingness to listen to those who engage with the system every day, there is real reason to be hopeful that Irish Family Law is moving towards a more compassionate, transparent and effective future for families and children alike. Let’s hope the momentum continues into 2026 and beyond.
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