When Irish social workers snatched Kerry Robertson and Mark McDougall’s new born baby boy Ben, it enraged many as to how social workers could have taken such a draconian measure.

Even if social workers could legally prove Kerry’s mild learning disabilities impair her abilities to care for her son, which they have no evidence and without doubt will be robustly defended, then why won’t social workers consider Ben’s father Mark as main carer in the interim?

Surely under Mark’s keen supervision Ben could be kept with his parents, isn’t taking a breast feeding baby away from his mother too extreme?

Of course where there is evidence that parents are abusive, neglectful or have serious addiction issues social workers should step in, but in this case we have a loving couple who are prepared to go to extreme measures to stay together as a family.

The reason the social workers won’t consider Mark as a potential main carer is that he does not have parental responsibility; in Ireland they don’t even recognize him as a parent without it.


Parental responsibility is defined on the Direct Gov site Click here

If they were married he would have parental responsibility automatically, unmarried UK fathers have had automatic parental responsibility if they are named on the birth certificate as father since December 2003, and Ireland has yet to adopt this reform.

Mark and Kerry were due to be married in September last year; their wedding was halted just 48 hours before the service when social workers claimed Miss Robertson was not bright enough to understand the marriage declaration.

It seems social workers had made a decision in advance to snatch the baby and to deny Mark parental rights.

Since when do social workers decide whether consenting adults can marry?

Rffj spoke to Mark yesterday.
“It is outrageous that I have no rights at all as a father, I practically don't exist in Irish Law in this matter at all”

“When they told us they were taking Ben away, I was simply hysterical and literally begged them to keep Ben with his mother in a mother and baby unit somewhere where they could assess and support her parenting skills”

“The only thing that has kept us sane is our relationship together as we are a very close and strong couple; Fife Council ironically made us an even stronger couple by trying to tear us apart”

“We have to be careful about what we say about our case, due to legal reasons we can’t say too much but we are hopeful we will have some good news by Wednesday”

“Thank you so much for taking a keen interest in our story. It really means a lot to both Kerry and I. We would both like to thank everyone who has offered us their kind words of support.”

Rffj will be following events closely and have activists both sides of the border on standby for a protest against Irish social services if required, if you would like to get involved in direct action email info@realfathersforjustice.org