Protection of Children (Hague Convention) Act, 2000

• Jurisdiction: Ireland
• Citation: IR No. 37/2000

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Number 37 of 2000

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PROTECTION OF CHILDREN (HAGUE CONVENTION) ACT 2000

REVISED

Updated to 1 August 2022

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This Revised Act is an administrative consolidation of the Protection of Children (Hague Convention) Act 2000. It is prepared by the Law Reform Commission in accordance with its function under the Law Reform Commission Act 1975 (3/1975) to keep the law under review and to undertake revision and consolidation of statute law.

All Acts up to and including the Electoral Reform Act 2022 (30/2022), enacted 25 July 2022, and all statutory instruments up to and including the European Union (Decisions in Matrimonial Matters and in Matters of Parental Responsibility and International Child Abduction) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No. 400 of 2022), made 31 July 2022, were considered in the preparation of this Revised Act.

Disclaimer: While every care has been taken in the preparation of this Revised Act, the Law Reform Commission can assume no responsibility for and give no guarantees, undertakings or warranties concerning the accuracy, completeness or up to date nature of the information provided and does not accept any liability whatsoever arising from any errors or omissions. Please notify any errors, omissions and comments by email to

revisedacts@lawreform.ie.

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Number 37 of 2000

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PROTECTION OF CHILDREN (HAGUE CONVENTION) ACT 2000

REVISED

Updated to 1 August 2022

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Introduction

This Revised Act presents the text of the Act as it has been amended since enactment, and preserves the format in which it was passed.

Related legislation

Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Acts 1961 to 2021: this Act is one of a group of Acts included in this collective citation, to be construed together as one (Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2021 (14/2021), s. 9(2)). The Acts in this group are:

• Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Act 1961 (39/1961), citation only

• Courts (Supplemental Provisions) (Amendment) Act 1962 (18/1962), citation only

• Courts (Supplemental Provisions) (Amendment) Act 1964 (9/1964), citation only

• Courts Act 1964 (11/1964)

• Courts (Supplemental Provisions) (Amendment) Act 1968 3/1968

• Courts (Supplemental Provisions) (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1968 (21/1968), citation only

• Courts Act 1971 (36/1971)

• Courts Act 1973 (26/1973)

• Courts Act 1977 (11/1977)

• Oireachtas (Allowances To Members) and Ministerial, Parliamentary and Judicial Offices (Amendment) Act 1977 (29/1977), Part IV (ss. 10, 11), citation only

• Courts Act 1979 (15/1979)

• Courts Act 1981 (11/1981), citation only

• Courts (No. 2) Act 1981 (31/1981)

• Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial, Parliamentary and Judicial Offices (Amendment) Act 1983 (32/1983), in so far as it amends the collectively cited Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Acts 1961 to 1981, citation only

• Courts Act 1985 (23/1985)

• Courts Act 1986 (1/1986), citation only

• Courts (No. 2) Act 1986 (26/1986) other than ss. 4 , 6, 7 and the First Schedule in so far as it relates to the law on intoxicating liquor

• Courts (No. 3) Act 1986 (33/1986)

• Jurisdiction of Courts and Enforcement of Judgments (European Communities) Act 1988 (3/1988) collective construction only of ss. 5-8, 11, 12, 14

• Courts Act 1988 (14/1988)

• Courts (No. 2) Act 1988 (34/1988)

• Child Abduction and Enforcement of Custody Orders Act 1991 (6/1991), collective construction only insofar as it affects the jurisdiction or procedure of any court in the State

• Courts Act 1991 (20/1991)

• Courts Act 1991 (21/1991)

• Courts (Supplemental Provisions) (Amendment) Act 1991 (23/1991), in so far as it amends or extends the Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Acts 1961 to 1988

• Courts and Court Officers Act 1995 (31/1995)

• Courts Act 1996 (26/1996)

• Courts Act 1997 (6/1997)

• Courts (No. 2) Act 1997 (43/1997), other than ss. 3, 9

• Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial, Parliamentary, Judicial and Court Offices (Amendment) Act 1998 (5/1998), in so far as it amends or extends the collectively cited Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Acts 1961 to 1998

• Jurisdiction of Courts and Enforcement of Judgments Act 1998 (52/1998), ss. 7-10, 13, 14, 16, 20A, 20E-20H, 20J, 20K, 20M

• Courts (Supplemental Provisions) (Amendment) Act 1999 (25/1999) in so far as it amends or extends the collectively cited Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Acts 1961 to 1998

• Courts (Supplemental Provisions) (Amendment) Act 2000 (15/2000) insofar as it amends the Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Acts 1961 to 2000

• Protection of Children (Hague Convention) Act 2000 (37/2000), ss. 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 11 and 12

• Courts and Court Officers Act 2002 (15/2002)

• Courts and Court Officers (Amendment) Act 2003 (36/2003), citation only

• Courts and Court Officers (Amendment) Act 2007 (4/2007), citation only

• Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2008 (14/2008), ss. 9, 11-13, 20-23

• Jurisdiction of Courts and Enforcement of Judgments (Amendment) Act 2012 (7/2012)

• Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012 (37/2012), ss. 65, 66, citation only

• Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2013 (32/2013), s. 17, citation only

• Court of Appeal Act 2014 (18/2014), to the extent that it amends or extends the Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Acts 1961 to 2013

• Choice of Court (Hague Convention) Act 2015 (38/2015), ss. 5-9

• Courts Act 2015 (51/2015) citation only

• Courts Act 2017 (8/2017)

• Copyright and Other Intellectual Property Law Provisions Act 2019 (19/2019), s. 41

• Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2021 (14/2021), s. 8

Annotations

This Revised Act is annotated and includes textual and non-textual amendments, statutory instruments made pursuant to the Act and previous affecting provisions.

An explanation of how to read annotations is available at

www.lawreform.ie/annotations.

Material not updated in this revision

Where other legislation is amended by this Act, those amendments may have been superseded by other amendments in other legislation, or the amended legislation may have been repealed or revoked. This information is not represented in this revision but will be reflected in a revision of the amended legislation if one is available.

Where legislation or a fragment of legislation is referred to in annotations, changes to this legislation or fragment may not be reflected in this revision but will be reflected in a revision of the legislation referred to if one is available.

A list of legislative changes to any Act, and to statutory instruments from 1972, may be found linked from the page of the Act or statutory instrument at

www.irishstatutebook.ie.

Acts which affect or previously affected this revision

• Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 (9/2015)

• Health Act 2004 (42/2004)

All Acts up to and including Electoral Reform Act 2022 (30/2022), enacted 25 July 2022, were considered in the preparation of this revision.

Statutory instruments which affect or previously affected this revision

• European Union (Decisions in Matrimonial Matters and in Matters of Parental Responsibility and International Child Abduction) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No. 400 of 2022)

• Protection Of Children (Hague Convention) Act 2000 (Section 15) Order 2019 (S.I. No. 458 of 2019)

• Protection of Children (Hague Convention) Act 2000 (Section 15) Order 2010 (S.I. No. 682 of 2010)

• Protection of Children (Hague Convention) Act 2000 (Commencement) Order 2010 (S.I. No. 650 of 2010)

• European Communities (Judgments in Matrimonial Matters and Matters of Parental Responsibility) Regulations 2005 (S.I. No. 112 of 2005)

All statutory instruments up to and including European Union (Decisions in Matrimonial Matters and in Matters of Parental Responsibility and International Child Abduction) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No. 400 of 2022), made 31 July 2022, were considered in the preparation of this revision.

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Number 37 of 2000

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PROTECTION OF CHILDREN (HAGUE CONVENTION) ACT 2000

REVISED

Updated to 1 August 2022

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ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

Section
1.	Interpretation.
2.	Convention to have force of law.
3.	Application of Convention in the State.
4.	Exercise of jurisdiction.
5.	Interpretation of Convention.
6.	Provision of certain court documents.
7.	Evidence in proceedings.
8.	Letters of request.
9.	Central Authority.
10.	Provision of reports.
11.	Rules of court.
12.	Saving.
13.	Transitional provision.
14.	Regulations.
15.	Orders evidencing entry into force of Convention, etc.
16.	Laying of regulations and orders before Houses of Oireachtas.
17.	Amendment of Child Abduction and Enforcement of Custody Orders Act, 1991.
18.	Expenses.
19.	Short title, commencement, construction and collective citation.

SCHEDULE

Text of the Hague Convention of 19 October, 1996, on jurisdiction, apllicable law, recognition, enforecement and co-operation in respect of parental responsibility and measures operation in respect of parental responsibility and measures for the protection of children

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Acts Referred to
	Child Abduction and Enforcement of Custody Orders Act, 1991	1991, No. 6
	Child Care Act, 1991	1991, No. 17
	Children Act, 1997	1997, No. 40
	Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Acts, 1961 to 2000
	Guardianship of Infants Act, 1964	1964, No. 7
	Judical Separation and Family Law Reform Act, 1989	1989, No. 6

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Number 37 of 2000

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PROTECTION OF CHILDREN (HAGUE CONVENTION) ACT 2000

REVISED

Updated to 1 August 2022

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