Fathers to stage protest in Dublin on Good Friday

national | rights, freedoms and repression | news report Tuesday April 06, 2004 16:33 by www.dads-house.com - www.dads-house.com dave at dads-house dot com St Aengus Community Centre, Tallaght, Dublin 086 2612 400

FATHERS TO STAGE PROTEST RALLY IN DUBLIN ON GOOD FRIDAY

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Unmarried and Separated Fathers of Ireland shall continue with the process of lobbying against our governments refusal to recognize the basic level of Human Rights in this country, which will be highlighted at our annual Demonstration on Good Friday 9th April. The demonstration will commence from The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, St Stephens Green at 12.00 pm and continue to the constituency office of the minister of the said department.

Unmarried and separated Fathers of Ireland calls on the Irish government to grant equal rights to all citizens, with emphasis on the discontinuation of all forms discrimination against men in the area of the Family and Social Welfare Rights.

Minister McDowell has clearly outlined the government's position t

owards discrimination against men in his submission to the United Nations under the CEDAW program. The program aimed to eliminate all forms of discrimination in Ireland, yet the government failed again as it reserved the extension of rights to the family born out of wedlock, restricted the rights of the unmarried father and enforced discrimination against the most vulnerable of all, the children of our nation. The submission also reserved the right not to extend social welfare and social security rights towards men, a right which is presently more favourable to woman.

This year we celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the International year of the Family, and to commemorate this we call on the government to recognise the true meaning of the family unit in modern Irish society, not that framed in the constitution and based on the fading foundation of marriage, a foundation which is weakened by severity of the family law system it may have to endure. This year we call on the government under its role as Presidency of the European Union with its key theme of achieving greater social cohesion, to establish a public enquiry into the family courts system, exposing the abuse, injustice and discrimination which it administers.

This year we call on the government to abolish the in camera rule in our courts, we ask the opposition parties to resist the introduction of the purposed Courts ad Civil Liabilities Bill currently under motion.

This Bill if passed will achieve nothing less than further the hardship of innocent victims seeking justice in our family courts.

We call on the government for full implementation of international laws relating to civil justice, human rights and the rights of children.

There is uneasiness and tiredness in the area of the family in Ireland today, weighed by restrictions laid down by the state. The government has, and continues to fail in its responsibilities towards all members of the unit that forms the combined family in modern Ireland. This unit in its current legal interpretation comprises of the primary element of the child, followed by the mother the primary carer, but excludes equal rights towards the father, and eliminates automatic rights of a grandmother; the grandfather and the rights of the further extended family such as the aunt or uncle are particularly non-existence.

Today, Unmarried and separated Fathers of Ireland calls for the government to stand up to its responsibilities that are binding to all citizens of our country. We call for the government to recognise the natural rights of fathers, releasing the restrictions they have endured, bound by state legislation resulting in pain, loss and suffering to the individual, and destruction to our society as a whole. Unmarried and separated Fathers of Ireland calls for the government to stand up to its responsibilities towards the most vulnerable in our society, we ask our government to recognise the rights of the children of Ireland, and to recognise their needs and the the importance they play in the formation of the structure of our society. We call on the government recognise, that the family unit is not based on law and legislation, it is a unit based on love. We ask our government, to stop the hurt, stop the pain, stop the discrimination and focus on our children.

USFI Contacts:

Pat O' Donovan, Spokeperson,
+353 87 935 7571

Dave Whyte, Chairperson,
+353 86 261 2400

Ray Kelly, Founder,
+353 86 887 9444