Father says he is ‘626 days without my child’ in international custody row
High Court Reporter
An Irish father who has accused the Polish State of "stealing" his child has been given a court date for the hearing of his case over the alleged inaction of authorities here in assisting with her return.
The man, who cannot be identified to protect the identity of the child, told the High Court on Tuesday that Polish authorities, whom he accuses of "severe corruption", had "declared war" on him.
The man seeks court orders directing the Irish State to take immediate intervening action at the "highest EU levels" to assist in the return of his child, who is an Irish citizen. He accused the State of abandoning the rights of a vulnerable member of society.
The court has previously heard that the child's mother took her to Poland, the mother's homeland, in February 2024, without the father's consent.
He has been unable to track her down despite a Polish court order that the child be returned to Ireland, the court has heard.
The Polish order, while accepted by the State here, is being appealed for the second time by the children's ombudsman in Poland.
The man has taken the action against the Taoiseach, the Minister for Justice and the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
He has accused the Department of Foreign Affairs of displaying "utter weakness and abdication in the face of a foreign state seizing one of its children and trampling over a father’s rights".
He has said that he has been in possession of a valid return order for the child since last May and had made 11 attempts in Poland to locate and collect his child.
However, he says that the child is "nowhere to be found" and that he has been accused of making a false missing person report to Polish police.
At the High Court on Tuesday, the man told Mr Justice Garrett Simons that he had been in recent correspondence with Polish authorities and had in his possession documents from the Department for Foreign Affairs and Polish authorities which the State here had claimed they were not aware of.
"This is the Polish State stealing my child. They have put death on me and on my family, and my child is in danger," he said.
"I am 626 days without my child," the man said.
The man alleges that documents in his possession from Polish authorities show his young daughter had been the subject of "illegal drugs" used by a hospital with the authorisation of his wife, in treating a medical condition for the child.
He submits that "Polish police had her [his wife] in custody and released her".
The man alleges "severe corruption" arising from documents he has received from authorities in Poland and says that he was now in a situation of "political ping pong" because the State here "don't know what is going on and I am not continuing to do their own homework".
Lawyers for the State told Mr Justice Simons that their defence would be filed at the close of business tomorrow and that they appreciate the urgency of the matter, which had "significant" legal issues.
The man repeated that he was "626 days" without his child.
The case will be heard in December and is expected to last a day.
In October the man, who represented himself, said he no longer wished to be part of the process despite the court ruling in his favour and refusing a motion by the State to strike out the case. However, Mr Justice Simons gave the man two weeks to reconsider.
Lawyers for the State had argued that it is up to Polish authorities to execute the order made by their courts and it is not for the Irish State to intervene.
