Wexford father urges greater support for families

The husband of Sharon Grace, who was found drowned with their two daughters in Wexford last month, said yesterday he was determined to do something to ensure their deaths were not in vain.

Barry Grace said it was too soon to say what he hoped to do and he did not want to discuss it in detail until he had researched the issue. However, he believed there was a lack of support for families when parents split up and the issue of access to the children arose.

The bodies of Sharon Grace and their two daughters Mikhala (4) and Abby (3) were found at Kaats Strand on Sunday, April 17th. Ms Grace had been estranged from her husband, Barry, and had expressed concern about access to the children in days before the incident.

Mr Grace said his family's experience led him to believe that something must be done for families going through separation and custody issues.

"I've been thinking about this for a few days and I think there has to be changes to the system. There has to be mediation. If there was any support out there, I didn't notice it," he said. "It might be out there but there's a breakdown in communication somewhere. People don't know there's help out there."

He said the delays in having family law cases dealt with were too long and children and parents were left in a limbo, waiting to know what would happen. "Six months are a long time in a baby's life," he said. "I need time to get my thoughts together on this and see what I can do."

He said he would not wish on his worst enemy what he had experienced in the past fortnight. "I don't want any one else to go through what I have gone through, or what my family or Sharon's family have gone through," he said. "And it's not only the families. It has affected so many people.

"I'm determined to do something so that this doesn't happen to another family. I don't want my wife and children to have died for nothing. I want something good to come out of this."