Irish Father’s Desperate Search for Daughter Amidst International Custody Dispute
An Irish father is desperately seeking his young daughter, caught in a legal battle between Ireland and Poland. The child’s mother moved her to Poland, defying a court order. This case highlights the complexities of international child abduction and differing perspectives on the child’s medical needs.
A Tangled Legal Web
The parents, [Irish Father’s Name] and [Polish Mother’s Name], are embroiled in a dispute concerning their 3½-year-old daughter’s medical care. The girl, an Irish citizen born in Ireland, has autism and is suspected of having epilepsy. The parents, although married but estranged, had resided in Ireland before the mother relocated the child to Poland in March 2024.
A Polish court mandated the girl’s return to Ireland in May 2025, following her mother’s relocation without her father’s consent. The mother has resisted this order, claiming her daughter requires specialized care unavailable in Ireland due to long waiting lists.
[Irish Father’s Name] spent the last two weeks in Poland attempting to bring his daughter back. He has attended numerous court hearings over the past year. In May, a judge ruled he should be allowed to bring his daughter back to Ireland.
“I have not seen my daughter since the Warsaw courthouse in January. Nobody, nobody in this country can confirm where my daughter is since May 27th ,”
—[Irish Father’s Name]
The mother’s legal argument hinges on the idea that their daughter will receive superior care in Poland. The Hague Convention, which both Ireland and Poland have signed, addresses international child abduction. However, the father argues that the convention is not fit for purpose.
The Department of Justice’s Central Authority acts as a transmitting and receiving agency for such cases. It relies on Polish authorities to progress the application through their institutions. The Embassy of Ireland in Warsaw is offering consular assistance, while acknowledging that it cannot intervene in the legal case. The father’s lawyer stated that there is no direct way to enforce this final ruling in Poland.
Contrasting Perspectives
The mother argues that her daughter needs specialized neuropsychiatric, speech therapy, and psychological support, available in Poland. She cites lengthy waiting times for therapy and diagnosis in Ireland. Polish doctors have advised against disrupting the girl’s treatment due to the risk of developmental regression, according to medical records.
The father, in contrast, insists he can afford private healthcare in Ireland and views his daughter’s situation as a parental abduction. The core issue, according to the mother, is the urgency of medical and therapeutic care for the child.
According to the Irish government, waiting times for autism assessments can be as long as three years in some cases, creating delays for families seeking necessary services (HSE).
