A plea for the legal system to "put the father back into Father Christmas" was made by a group of unmarried fathers outside the Four Courts in Dublin yesterday.
Dressed in festive costumes, the men gathered to highlight the situation of unmarried fathers whose relationship with the mother of their children has broken down.
Under Irish law unmarried fathers have no automatic guardianship or custody rights over their children. A spokesman for the Unmarried Fathers of Ireland group which staged yesterday's protest said Christmastime in particular was painful for fathers who could not see their children.
During the protest numerous drivers in traffic passing on the quays honked their horns in support of the protesters carrying placards with such slogans as "A father is for life, not just for Saturdays".
The spokesman called for the establishment of a mechanism for children to have their voices heard in the family courts during cases over custody and access. He also said there should be wider dissemination of information about free mediation services available to couples whose relationship has broken down, to keep the issues out of the courts.
