Bond between mother and baby really is the most intimate of all

DOES our law understand the bond between a mother and her infant? I wondered about this when the High Court defended the right of the HSE to take a day-old baby away from his mother to “protect” him last week.

The main source of danger to the baby which was identified was his father. His mother offered to remain with the baby at a friend’s house and an offer to host her was also made by a pastor, but these offers were brushed off by the HSE.

Why was the HSE’s first move not to secure a safe place for mother and baby? Was obtaining an emergency care order from the District Court and sending in the gardaí to take the baby from his mother and pass him to the HSE really the only way of protecting the baby?