Single fathers call for greater family supports

A group representing single fathers has backed up the assertion that there are high incidences of juvenile crime among families where no father is present in the home.

Supporting comments made by Justice Ronan Keane in which he expressed concern about youth crime, the Unmarried and Separated Fathers in Ireland group says that as many as 90% of young offenders have no father figure in the home.

Spokesperson for the group Eamon Quinn says the Government needs to act to prevent family breakdown.

"The authoritarian figure is being disposed of in family units and the awful approach by the family law courts by disposing of fathers seems to be too easy.

"We feel there should be a family emergency response unit to prevent families from breaking down, because Ireland itself is based on the family."