An Interim Care Order was granted for a baby who had been found in the Dublin Metropolitan District and whose parents had yet to be identified.
The guardian ad litem (GAL) said that knowledge of the case was “out there in the media, attempts to find the mother are well known at this stage”. He said that a realistic period of time was being given to locate the mother and father from the time of birth. If they had not been located within six months that avenue would be closed down. The baby was being very well cared for in her foster placement and had been seen by a doctor in the maternity hospital last week, said the GAL.
The judge said that the parents had not yet identified themselves at a Garda Station and as such this was an ex-parte application by the CFA, “or one without notice to the parents”. He said that the grounds for the care order continued to exist as the parents had yet to be identified, however things could “change dramatically if and when the parents become known to the CFA.”
The judge directed the CFA to be “permitted to make all necessary enquiries with the Registrar of Births as to the form and manner of notification required to register the birth of Baby Jane Doe”. He also directed the CFA to re-enter the case within two days if a parent or parents became known and to notify them of the medical directions.
“I’d be interested to know how you go about naming the child for purposes of registration, but I’m sure that’s something that can be dealt with on the next occasion,” said the judge.
Care order hearing dates were not yet set down, the judge said they could be discussed at the next extension of the Interim Care Order and any dates set could be changed if the parents became known.
