‘Sad day’ as EU court rules father has no custody rights

A VERY sad day for unmarried fathers and a very sad day for children is how the organisation representing separated and single fathers described the court ruling confirming an Irish father had no automatic right to custody of his children.

The man, known only as Mr J McB, took his battle through the Irish and British courts but finally lost in the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg.

He argued the mother of his children should not have taken the children from their home in Ireland where they had lived together for eight months. He claimed her action breached his right to a private and family life under the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.