Bray Courthouse.
A woman has been granted an interim protection order against her mother-in-law after telling Bray District Court that she was falsely accused of abusing her partner’s grandmother
The woman appeared at an in-camera family law sitting of Bray District Court seeking the interim protection order against her mother-in-law.
In her evidence to the court, she said her mother-in-law has been making accusations that she and her husband are abusing his grandmother, who is the respondent’s mother.
Background to the case was outlined, with the court hearing that the applicant and her husband are the main carers for the grandmother.
The court was told that the mother-in-law has recently contacted the HSE, alleging that the couple are abusing her mother. The HSE Safeguarding Team works to protect vulnerable adults from harm by listening to concerns, assessing support needs, and working with other services to ensure individuals are protected and treated appropriately.
It was alleged that earlier this year, the applicant was attending a hospital appointment with her partner’s grandmother when her mother-in-law entered the room and pushed her.
Judge David Kennedy asked why the applicant’s husband was not the one seeking an order. She told the judge that, while her husband is also being accused of wrongdoing, his mother has not become physical towards him.
The applicant further alleged that her mother-in-law has told other family members that the couple are abusing her mother. She said some relatives believe these allegations, while others have contacted the couple to say they had heard “these rumours”, but did not believe them.
The court heard that the grandmother herself was granted an order against her daughter in mid-2025.
Judge Kennedy granted the interim protection order and adjourned the matter for a full hearing in early 2026. The order is to be served on the mother-in-law by gardaí as she lives outside of the jurisdiction.
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