A national newspaper which published photographs of the parents of four children who gardai found home alone in a west of Ireland town was criticised by a judge yesterday.
Judge Michael Reilly said he had asked that nothing should be done to identify the children in the case. Yet nothing could identify them more than a picture of their parents in a newspaper.
The parents' solicitor, Mr Gearoid Geraghty, said Independent Newspapers was aware of the order when it reproduced photographs of the parents for a second time.
He said his clients were unfortunate people who were now making every effort to ensure their children were cared for but had found themselves pilloried in the newspapers. Other publications had reported the case in a judicious manner.
Judge Reilly told a Garda superintendent in court yesterday that an order had been made in another forum earlier in the day in relation to the children and the health authorities had taken responsibility for their care. The parents were co-operating fully with the health board.
He adjourned summonses brought against the parents under the Child Care Act but said they could be re-entered if the arrangements did not work.
He said he took a very serious view of the parents' photographs being published and hoped it would not happen in his court again. He had seen one newspaper report which was very fair and fully complied with the order he made in court.