A man has lodged High Court proceedings against the Government over its perceived failure to intervene in locating his young daughter, whose mother moved her to Poland without his consent.
Irish authorities said they are aware of the case and have “provided extensive consular assistance”.
An Irish man and a Polish woman are involved in a legal battle over where their daughter should receive care for a number of medical conditions, as previously reported by The Irish Times.
According to medical records, the girl, who is 3½ years old, is autistic and suspected to have epilepsy.
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The couple, who are married but estranged, previously lived together in Ireland before the mother moved back to Poland with their daughter in March 2024.
In May 2025, a Polish court ruled that the young girl, who was born in Ireland and is an Irish citizen, should be brought back to Ireland as the mother relocated her to Poland without her father’s consent.
The father made a number of attempts to return his daughter to Ireland in June and July but has been unable to confirm her whereabouts. He recently lodged legal proceedings against the Department of the Taoiseach, the Department of Justice and the Department of Foreign Affairs.
The father claims the Irish Government has “abandoned” his daughter by failing to help locate her. He also believes The Hague Convention, one of the main legal frameworks for dealing with international child abduction cases, is “completely and utterly inadequate”.
Irish authorities said they are aware of the legal proceedings but cannot comment on the specifics of the case.
A spokeswoman said the Department of Foreign Affairs was “aware of this case and has provided extensive consular assistance” but, as with all consular cases, cannot “comment on the details of individual cases”.
Both Ireland and Poland are signed up to The Hague Convention. As part of the convention, each country has a central authority that facilitates the return of abducted children to the country of their habitual residence. In Ireland, this body falls under the remit of Department of Justice.
A spokesman for the department said the central authority “provides assistance to parents and guardians of children who have been removed from the jurisdiction without their consent” and communicates “any updates or requests for information between an applicant and the authorities of the other state”.
The spokesman said “any administrative and judicial measures required to decide on the return of a child are taken by the authorities in the contracting state that the child has been taken to” – in this instance, Poland.
“The Irish central authority is not involved in the legal proceedings of the other country. It relies on the authorities of the other state to progress the application through their institutions and to keep it informed of any developments or advise it of any information required from the applicant.”
A department or Minister “cannot intervene in private, civil or international legal matters which are the subject of court proceedings either in Ireland or another jurisdiction”, the spokesman added.
The father said he had not seen his daughter in person in several months and was becoming increasingly concerned Polish authorities cannot confirm her whereabouts.
The mother’s legal case centres on her belief their daughter will receive better treatment in Poland.
She told The Irish Times the child is “safe and continues to receive appropriate medical care”.
“Due to her health needs, we are currently focusing on her ongoing treatment, and I’m doing everything I can as a mother to protect her stability and wellbeing,” the mother said. “She is currently taking new medications, and her condition remains serious, which means she cannot leave Poland at this time.”
There are significant delays for autism assessments in Ireland, with some families waiting up to three years. The father argues that he is able to pay for private healthcare in Ireland.
