The Dáil has passed legislation to ensure killers who take the life of their child’s other parent will no longer be able to automatically keep guardianship rights.
The Guardianship of Infants and Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2026 is commonly referred to as “Valerie’s Law”.
It is named in the memory of 41-year-old Valerie French, who was killed by her husband James Kilroy in Co Mayo in June 2019.
The couple have three children.
Ms French’s brother had campaigned for Kilroy not to have control over the couple’s children.
The law applies equally to both married and unmarried couples.