Barring/ Safety order in Ireland

TheGovernor

Hello all,

I'm hoping that by posting this here some knowledgeable might help me out. I need to get some kind of restraining order against my mother. I've moved twice and had to change my phone number as I was receiving on average 8 missed calls a day and a voicemail for each one, somedays a lot more.

She's been calling my girlfriend non stop and texting her too, she shouldn't have to change her number but it's looking like it. I have some proof that she's been emailing me. She's made fake facebook profiles contacting myself and the girlfriend pretending she met us "through college". We deleted our profiles recently due to the annoyance but are kicking ourselves now because we forgot to download our data- proof.

I've had to move house as she was parking outside it (she works nearby) and driving by all the time. I ran into her on the road one day parked at the house in her car, something I would have preferred to avoid. I've cut contact and avoided any areas she might be in with almost a year but the paranoia and knowing she can do these things to me is eating me up. We live in a small city the chances of running into her are big.

I need her to realize finally that it's not a game and what she's doing is illegal. Since childhood my mental health has suffered a great deal between her and my father and I need her to understand I have no want to be around her or the rest of my family.

What can I do legal wise? I hope somebody can give me some solid advice.

Thanks.

Pat Mustard

You can go to a private solicitor (or the Legal Aid Board), or the Gardai.

I wouldn't do any of those things if it was a family member of mine, but I don't know your situation.

TheGovernor

You're right you don't know my situation, thanks for your opinion though.

eviltwin

Barring orders are only given in cases where you live together and I don't think you meet the criteria for a safety order. I wonder if you could take a case out against her under the area of harrassement ( non fatal offences against the person act ), I would seek legal advice on your options and keep copies of all her correspondence and screenshots of the FB pages, photos of her car outside your home if you have it.

TheGovernor

I'm going to go to legal aid like the person who commented before you advised and I'm going to mention the non fatal offences act too. I've been googling this for months and never seen that come up in relation to my issue. Thanks for your advice.

johnnyskeleton

Best of luck in what I'm sure is not an easy situation. The non fatal offences act is more about criminal offences.

You could also see if there is an option for mediation eg another family member , priest, family friend etc would can sit you both down and go through your individual concerns.

The_Minister

There are laws about harrassment but I think that if you talk to the local Gardaí and ask them to have a quick chat with her, that might do the trick.

Oh, and document in detail.