A judge has made orders restraining two men from having any contact with a mildly intellectually disabled woman.
One of the men is the subject of a Garda investigation arising from serious complaints made by the woman, who is aged in her 20s.
She has been a ward of court, has lived with the same carers for more than a decade and has had a baby within the last year.
Lawyers for the general solicitor for wards of court applied on Monday to the President of the High Court for orders against two named men. They cannot be identified as a result of court orders.
Mr Justice Peter Kelly was told “very serious concerns” had arisen as a result of various contacts made to the woman.
The concerns were that the second respondent, a friend of the man who is subject of the Garda investigation, and other third parties had been contacting the woman, threatening her and seeking to interfere with the continuing Garda investigation, Natalie McDonnell BL said.
The woman’s phone has been removed from her as a result and has been provided to gardaí who are investigating the matter, counsel said
The judge said, on the basis of the sworn evidence provided on behalf of the general solicitor, he was satisfied the orders sought were necessary to protect the best interests of the woman as a ward of court.
He made orders restraining the two men and any third parties on their behalf approaching or contacting the woman, including via social media.
Both men can seek to apply to vary or discharge the orders at four days notice, the judge said.
The judge also welcomed that the HSE is prepared to explore what continuing services could be provided by its national safeguarding team for the woman.