S.I. No. 271/2026 - Guardianship of Infants Act 1964 (Child’s Views Expert) (Amendment) Regulations 2026

Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of 19th June, 2026.

I, JIM O’CALLAGHAN, Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 32 (10) of the Guardianship of Infants Act 1964 (No. 7 of 1964) (as adapted by the Justice (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2025 ( S.I. No. 242 of 2025 )), and having consulted with the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality (as adapted by the Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2025 ( S.I. No. 180 of 2025 )), hereby make the following regulations:

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Guardianship of Infants Act 1964 (Child’s Views Expert) (Amendment) Regulations 2026.

2. In these Regulations, “Principal Regulations” means the Guardianship of Infants Act 1964 (Child’s Views Expert) Regulations 2018 ( S.I. No. 587 of 2018 ).

3. Regulation 2 of the Principal Regulations is amended –

(a) in the definition of “social worker”, by the substitution of “Act of 2005;” for “Act of 2005.”, and

(b) by the insertion of the following definitions:

“ ‘occupational therapist’ means an occupational therapist whose name is for the time being entered in the register of members of the profession of occupational therapist established and maintained under section 36 of the Act of 2005;

‘speech and language therapist’ means a speech and language therapist whose name is for the time being entered in the register of members of the profession of speech and language therapist established and maintained under section 36 of the Act of 2005.”.

4. Regulation 3 of the Principal Regulations is amended –

(a) in paragraph (1) –

(i) in subparagraph (e), by the substitution of “a relevant period;” for “a relevant period.”, and

(ii) by the insertion of the following subparagraphs after subparagraph (e):

“(f) an occupational therapist who has engaged in the practice of the profession of occupational therapist, as it relates to the provision of occupational therapy services to children, for a relevant period;

(g) a speech and language therapist who has engaged in the practice of the profession of speech and language therapist, as it relates to the provision of speech and language therapy services to children, for a relevant period.”, and

(b) in paragraph (2) –

(i) by the substitution of “3 years” for “5 years” in both places where it occurs, and

(ii) in subparagraph (a), by the substitution of “5 years” for “10 years”.

GIVEN under my Official Seal,

12 June, 2026.

JIM O’CALLAGHAN,

Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation)

This Order amends the Guardianship of Infants Act 1964 (Child’s Views Expert) Regulations 2018 ( S.I. No. 587 of 2018 ) so that speech and language therapists and occupational therapists are included in the list of professions eligible to undertake voice of the child reports. The Order also reduces the required number of years of experience working directly with children to not less than 3 years within the 5 years immediately preceding appointment.