Single mums 'must name father'

**Ringo** · 14/04/2009, 6:17 AM

THE Government is under pressure to introduce laws to force single mothers to name the fathers of their children on their birth certificates.

Around 4,000 children are born every year without the name of their father being registered, partly due to several myths in circulation.

Some single mothers wrongly believe that it will affect their social welfare benefits, while others believe leaving out the father's name prevents him from getting access rights to the child -- which is also untrue.

Treoir, which represents unmarried parents, said it was time for the Government to change the law to correct the situation.

http://www.independent.ie/national-n...r-1707370.html

Go after the fathers to pay for the child not us

**anto1208** · 14/04/2009, 12:21 PM

That is of course if they even know the fathers name

**Macy** · 15/04/2009, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by Ringo

Go after the fathers to pay for the child not us

Yes, that's much more important than the reason these groups are pushing for it - so that the child can actually know their father (and vica versa).

**Bald Student** · 15/04/2009, 1:33 PM

Originally Posted by Macy

Yes, that's much more important than the reason these groups are pushing for it - so that the child can actually know their father (and vica versa).

The two don't contradict each other.

**Macy** · 15/04/2009, 2:06 PM

Yes, but Ringo was misleading on what the article said and the intentions of the groups calling for it.

**Bald Student** · 15/04/2009, 2:15 PM

Originally Posted by Macy

Yes, but Ringo was misleading on what the article said and the intentions of the groups calling for it.

He copied out the first four lines of the article verbatum, gave a link to the rest and then gave his own opinion, that's perfectly fair.

**Mr A** · 15/04/2009, 4:58 PM

while others believe leaving out the father's name prevents him from getting access rights to the child -- which is also untrue.

While this is untrue, I believe having the father's name on the birth cert makes getting guardianship a bit easier.

One of the most depressing experience I ever had was when we went to get my guardianship of my daughter sorted out (before I got married obviously) and the guy at the courts assumed that it would be contested and was shocked to hear that it was just something we both wanted to do, indicating that a) a lot of fathers don't bother to attempt to sort out this very important legal matter and b) that usually when they do it is is opposed by the Mother.

Personally, I believe that if the Mother excludes the Father from the child's life then she should not be entitled to maintenance.

**pete** · 15/04/2009, 5:03 PM

Originally Posted by Mr A

Personally, I believe that if the Mother excludes the Father from the child's life then she should not be entitled to maintenance.

Maybe the birth cert naming will solve all this but surely there should be a legal requirement on the mother to confirm she has not pursued the father & on the other side for fathers to confirm they are giving up their parental rights.

Would test tube fathers also have to be named?

**dahamsta** · 15/04/2009, 5:52 PM

Originally Posted by Mr A

While this is untrue, I believe having the father's name on the birth cert makes getting guardianship a bit easier.

Getting guardianship is just a matter of signing a statutory instrument alongside the mother. I suppose if the mother contested it the birth cert might have some bearing.

The whole birth cert and guardianship business is a joke. The cert confers no rights whatsoever, yet because it's an official government document, getting it changed requires a visit to the high court. Yet conferring rights on someone, the process that should be monitored, is simply a matter of filling in a form. It's crazy.

adam

**Sheridan** · 15/04/2009, 6:01 PM

Originally Posted by Mr A

Personally, I believe that if the Mother excludes the Father from the child's life then she should not be entitled to maintenance.

That's penalising the child, though, it's hardly his/her fault.

**dahamsta** · 15/04/2009, 8:16 PM

Both are penalising the child, and in many cases the former is far worse than the latter.

**Ringo** · 16/04/2009, 5:30 AM

One point always worried me. Children not knowing who their father was or half brothers & sisters, cousins etc. These young mothers were being housed in the same area, which could result in relationships with relatives.