Minister Jim O’Callaghan launches innovative new child maintenance calculator

26 February 2026

The Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan has today (Thursday 26 February) launched an innovative new online child maintenance calculator to help parents in coming to arrangements on child maintenance payments.

The calculator can be accessed online from today at www.childmaintenancecalculator.ie

The launch of the calculator follows on from the publication last month by Minister O’Callaghan of Ireland’s first set of Child Maintenance Guidelines. The calculator is intended to help make the guidelines more accessible for parents.

Development of the guidelines was a key recommendation of the 2024 Review of the Enforcement of Child Maintenance Orders.

Minister O’Callaghan said:

“I am working to progress significant family justice reforms.

The launch of this innovative new calculator today, along with the recent publication of child maintenance guidelines, are central to improving fairness, consistency and transparency when parents are making child maintenance arrangements.

“I am confident the guidelines and the calculator will be helpful tools for parents who choose, and for whom it is possible, to make private arrangements for child maintenance between themselves, rather than through the court system.

“They will assist parents in determining fair child maintenance payments, reducing conflict by making the calculation of child maintenance more objective.

The calculator is available online at www.childmaintenancecalculator.ie and takes four simple steps to obtain an estimated child maintenance amount. I would encourage parents to consult the guidelines and calculator when coming to arrangements on child maintenance.”

The Review of the Enforcement of Child Maintenance Orders, published in January 2024, was one of the actions contained in the “Supporting Children” goal of the Family Justice Strategy 2022-2025.

• Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration echoes apology to survivors made by Taoiseach on behalf of the Government
• Certificates will confirm in writing that survivors of industrial schools do not have a criminal record

25 February 2026

The Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan, has expressed his deep sense of regret for the suffering experienced by those detained in industrial schools, and he has confirmed in the Dáil that survivors of these schools do not have a criminal record.

The Minister was speaking following an apology made by the Taoiseach Micheál Martin today on behalf of the Government.

Minister O’Callaghan said:

“The State did not and does not regard individuals as having committed a criminal offence, and that no criminal record is recorded against them, by virtue of their detention in any industrial school.

“With regard to children who were detained in industrial schools and who were subsequently transferred to a reformatory school solely by virtue of their detention in the industrial school, they are likewise not considered to have had any criminal record.

“No person and, in particular, no agency of the State, should regard these individuals as having committed a criminal offence, or having a criminal record.”

The Minister added that individuals who wish to have further confirmation can be provided with a written certificate.

Individual certificates can be issued to survivors, on a case-by-case basis, including posthumously, following receipt and review of records.  The process for obtaining a certificate will be put in place by the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration as soon as possible. In the first instance, survivors of industrial and reformatory schools who wish to obtain their records for the purposes of seeking such a certificate should email survivorsupports@education.gov.ie

The first four of these certificates have been prepared for a group of industrial school survivors, and will be issued by the Minister.

Minister O’Callaghan added,

“I would like to express my sincere sympathies to those who experienced detention in industrial schools, and hope that confirmation that the State does not consider these individuals to have a criminal record is a small but meaningful acknowledgement of the need to repair this harm.”

A copy of the Minister’s statement can be found here.

Ireland has become a key hub for South American cartels transporting cocaine to Europe

Gardaí will to strengthen operational ties with Colombian police as part of an intensified strategy to target gangs trafficking cocaine into Europe.

Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan is expected to seek government approval today for An Garda Síochána to enter into a new memorandum of understanding with Colombia’s National Police.

The move is aimed at increasing the exchange of intelligence on transnational gangs between both police forces, while also sharing technologies and methods to target serious crime and terrorism.

Ireland has become a key transit hub for crime groups transporting cocaine from South America to Europe through maritime routes, with Irish criminals involved in facilitating the network here, even if the drugs are not ultimately destined for the Irish market.

“High-level” Irish criminals have travelled to South America

Sources have said that in recent years, Irish gangs have forged “more direct links” with drug cartels, with “high-level” Irish criminals travelling to South America to directly organise drug shipments.

Under the proposed agreement between gardaí and the Colombian police, senior detectives from both countries would be appointed to liaise directly on intelligence and operational matters.

The protocol is also expected to allow for joint enforcement actions targeting organised crime networks, including drug trafficking and terrorism financing.

While the memorandum of understanding would not be legally binding, it would be based on mutual co-operation and is expected to initially operate for five years.

A garda liaison officer based out of the Irish embassy in Bogota will also form a key aspect of the agreement.

The move follows the introduction of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024, which requires government approval before gardaí can enter formal agreements with foreign law-enforcement agencies.

Mr O’Callaghan is expected to tell the Cabinet today that Ireland is strongly reliant on international co-operation to successfully target an array of threats from transnational crime and terrorism.

The minister will also inform his colleagues that a new memorandum of understanding between An Garda Síochána and the Colombian National Police would be beneficial and strengthen co-operation between both police agencies.

In 2020, the Government sanctioned the roll-out of a three-year expansion plan for the garda liaison network to increase the global footprint of An Garda Síochána in line with best international practice on combating transnational crime.

This saw garda liaison posts created in Washington DC and Bogota, with the authority and responsibility to liaise with local law enforcement of the countries in which they are based.

The most recent high-profile example of Irish crime groups operating with South American cartels came in 2023, when €157m of cocaine was seized on board the MV Matthew off the Cork coast.

The 2.2-tonne drug haul had been supplied by the Colombian Clan del Golfo cartel, with the Kinahan organised crime group also heavily involved in facilitating the shipment.

The shipment was intercepted that September following a joint operation involving gardaí, the Defence Forces and Revenue, along with assistance from Interpol and Europol.

JUSTICE MINISTER JIM O’Callaghan secured government approval for a disregard scheme to be set up for certain historical convictions relating to consensual same-sex activity. 

The measure, which is included in the programme for government, has been promised for some time now following extensive campaigning from the LQBTQ+ community. 

Speaking to reporters today outside Government Buildings, the minister said the process to get a conviction disregarded will operate as an application-based scheme.

“The Victorian-era laws that criminalised consensual sexual activity between men are now rightly recognised as a historical injustice,” he said. 

He added: “I am extremely pleased that the Government has agreed to my proposals for a statutory disregard scheme which seeks to acknowledge this injustice and to address meaningfully some of the harm caused to affected gay men, as well as their families and friends, during the period of criminalisation.”

The new scheme applies in respect of men who are convicted of historic homosexual offences prior to 1993 and the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Ireland.

Under this scheme, the minister will appoint an independent reviewer, and individuals, who have been convicted of these offences will be able to apply to the independent reviewer to have their convictions disregarded .

The minister said he is conscious that many of the men who were convicted are now deceased, so the disregard scheme will also allow for their families to apply.

“It will go down to the generation of grand nieces or grand nephews. I believe it’s a fair scheme, and it takes into account the historic injustice that was done to many men in Ireland since 1922,” said the minister. 

The Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim O’Callaghan has today welcomed the progress of Garda Operation Moonridge which is successfully identifying and deporting non-Irish nationals convicted of sexual crimes.

‘Operation Moonridge’ commenced in 2025 targeting highly dangerous non-Irish nationals in the State. The operation involves identifying and locating convicted sex offenders of interest to the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) for consideration for an EU Removal Order or deportation. 

To date, a total of 25 sex offenders have now been removed from the State.

This consists of 14 non-EU nationals and 11 EU nationals who are now all subject to exclusion periods from Ireland.

Minister Jim O’Callaghan has welcomed the significant progress of this ongoing Garda operation.

“This work being undertaken by specialised units within An Garda Síochána is critical for the protection of people and for building public confidence in Ireland’s immigration system.

“I am implementing a rules-based migration system which means if a person commits serious offences while in the State, that person will be caught and removed.

“Operation Moonridge involves extensive information sharing between the Garda National Immigration Bureau and a number of key agencies, including the Garda National Protective Services Bureau, the Garda Sex Offenders Management Intelligence Unit (SOMIU) and units within my Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration. I commend all these agencies involved in this significant work.”

By using information provided by these bodies, GNIB identifies, targets and removes individuals who have committed sexual offences and do not have a lawful basis to remain in the State.

Minister of State Brophy added:

“It is a key priority for me that people who hold an immigration permission who are involved in criminality and who pose a danger to society are removed from Ireland.

“The enforcement aspect of our immigration laws are essential to ensure that our communities are kept safe.

“I would like to acknowledge the hard work of both An Garda Síochána and officials from my Department who work together tirelessly to ensure that such people are removed from the State.”

Operation Moonridge remains ongoing.

• From: Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration
• Published on: 6 January 2026
• Last updated on: 6 January 2026

The General Scheme of the Civil Reform Bill includes measures to:

• Place Judicial Review on a statutory basis, with a public interest test at the centre of the process ensuring balance and protection of common good
• Prevent abuse of the discovery process by introducing a new production regime that will be more effective, efficient and lead to lower costs
• Raise monetary limits on the jurisdiction of the Circuit and District Courts, reducing legal costs by allowing more non-complex cases to be heard in lower courts

Minister Jim O’Callaghan has today published the General Scheme of the Civil Reform Bill to reform the Judicial Review mechanism and streamline other key courts processes.

The Civil Reform Bill is a key measure that will see the implementation of the Review of the Administration of Civil Justice, also known as the Kelly Report, which was published in October 2020. The Report made over 90 recommendations aimed at improving access to justice for all by making it quicker, more efficient and more cost effective.

Minister Jim O’Callaghan said:

“I am pleased to publish the General Scheme of the Civil Reform Bill 2025, which delivers on the vast majority of the recommendations in the Kelly Report and expands upon them in some cases.

Most significantly, the Bill provides for an overhaul of the judicial review mechanism, which will result in greater transparency and a more streamlined process.

The State faces significant challenges in terms of housing shortages, energy deficits, inadequate water supplies and climate changes, all of which are exacerbated by the demands of a rising population. We can no longer delay on reform of the judicial review system. The measures in this Bill will not only deliver this reform, they will also support the Government’s Accelerating Infrastructure Action Plan, which addresses a range of barriers to developing the infrastructure required to sustain a growing society.

Key reforms will ensure the system cannot be misused on purely technical grounds, that costs are reduced where possible and litigants have sufficient standing to properly challenge decisions.

I recognise that citizens have a right to challenge what they perceive as unlawful decisions of public bodies. This is a fundamental part of the checks and balances of a liberal democracy. However, this right must be protected in a balanced manner which also protects the common good.

Through the forthcoming legislation, I will make clear that judicial review is a process whereby someone who has suffered harm or prejudice because of an unlawful action of a public body may seek a remedy from the courts. However, any remedy will consider the public interest as well as the interests of the applicant.”

The Bill introduces reforms in relation to Discovery and Civil Procedure in the Courts, as well as a change to the monetary limits on the jurisdiction of the Circuit and District Courts.

Minister Jim O’Callaghan continued:

“The Kelly Report found that economically stronger parties frequently weaponised the current discovery regime to effectively impede the less well-resourced party in the conduct of proceedings.

This Bill replaces that process with a new system for ‘production of documents.’ This means production will be restricted to documents which are relevant and material to the outcome of the proceedings, reasonably likely to be relied on at trial and where production of those documents is necessary for the administration of justice.

These more stringent criteria should minimise both delay and cost in the conduct of civil litigation in the State and achieve greater equality between parties.

The Bill will also increase the monetary jurisdiction of the District Court to €20,000 and that of the Circuit Court (including in relation to personal injury actions) to €100,000, considering inflation since the last such changes in 2013.

These changes will require affected cases to be heard in lower courts and should reduce legal costs.

The Bill contains a number of other civil reform measures that are likely to lead to more orderly conduct of civil litigation, cost savings for the parties, and the efficient use of court resources.”

The proposed Bill will also provide for a suite of civil reform measures including:

• Creation of case conduct principles;
• presumption against granting of adjournments;
• pre-action protocols extended beyond clinical negligence proceedings;
• limiting the term of a Lis Pendens;
• deemed discontinuance of civil actions;
• plaintiffs in personal injuries actions to distinguish between pre-existing injuries and those which are the subject of the claim; and
• extension of rules committees’ remit to include rules of evidence in civil proceedings.

Minister Jim O’Callaghan concluded:

“I am confident that the Civil Reform Bill will remove weaknesses in the current law, eliminate impediments to progress and deliver reform that benefits the public. It will also reserve the right of the citizen to ensure public bodies act lawfully and are accountable for their decisions.

This Bill is progressing in tandem with ongoing progress in relation to broader access to justice initiatives. These include the Courts Service Modernisation Programme and the Judicial Planning Working Group, alongside ongoing technology improvements and operational reforms being delivered by the Courts Service.

Overall, I believe these collective modernisation and reform measures will deliver significant efficiencies in terms of access to justice and the reduction of legal costs.”

05 December 2025

Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim O’Callaghan is moving forward on his commitment to introduce electronic monitoring (EM) for appropriate categories of offenders.

Minister O’Callaghan committed to the publication of a Request for Tender (RFT) for the provision of an electronic monitoring service provider by the end of 2025. This Request for Tender has now been published.

The Department of Justice is tendering for an EM service provider for a 12-month pilot phase, which will focus on individuals on temporary release nationally and those admitted to bail in a pilot area. It is proposed to utilise up to 50 electronic tags during this phase.

The pilot approach will allow for processes and procedures to be tested before a wider scale national rollout, while also supporting the agencies involved to build capability and knowledge of the EM system. Insights from the pilot will inform any future national rollout and procurement.

Minister O’Callaghan secured funding of €2.1m in Budget 2026 for the project to allow for staffing, procurement, and other set up costs.

The closing date for the RFT is 16 January 2026 at 5pm. The Request for Tender can be accessed at: European Dynamics – View CfT Workspace

01 December 2025

The Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan and Minister of State for the Office of Public Works, Kevin Boxer Moran this morning turned the sod at the site of a new Garda Station in Clonmel. The official ceremony also attended by Assistant Commissioner Eileen Foster officially marks the start of construction. The new Clonmel Garda station is expected to be completed in 2027.

The new station represents a major investment in policing, community safety and public infrastructure for the Clare/Tipperary Garda Division. It is central to delivering the Government’s commitment to build stronger, safer communities by strengthening An Garda Síochána, expanding resources, and modernising facilities to tackle crime.

The Clonmel headquarters is one of many projects underway as part of a comprehensive programme of modernisation to improve Garda facilities nationwide.

Minister Jim O’Callaghan said:

“Clonmel Garda Station is a priority capital project under the National Development Plan 2026–2030. This new station will provide modern, fit-for-purpose facilities for Gardaí and the community they serve.

This Government is resolute in its support for An Garda Síochána, shown by a record €2.59 billion allocation under Budget 2026.

Through investment in facilities such as Clonmel, the Government is delivering on our commitment to ensure Gardaí have the necessary resources to prevent and detect crime while building stronger and safer communities.”

The location at the heart of Clonmel on the Kickham Barracks site allows the station to serve as the Community Engagement Hub for South Tipperary. The 3,600 square metres of this facility will include modern offices, conference facilities, staff support areas and custody suites.

Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly said:

“An Garda Síochána and our Garda personnel serving Clonmel are looking forward to the development of this new Station in Clonmel, which will aid us in continuing to keep people safe in South Tipperary.

“The new Garda Station will provide fit-for-purpose accommodation for Garda personnel delivering policing services for the area. The National Development Plan, recently updated by the Government, will fund An Garda Síochána’s Capital Programme, which will modernise important elements of our large estate. This project is a core element of the Capital Programme, and I look forward to its completion.”  

Minister of State for the Office of Public Works, Kevin Boxer Moran said:

“I am delighted to be here today at a significant milestone in the delivery of a New Garda Station for the people of Clonmel.

“I look forward to seeing the progress over the coming period and I have no doubt that upon completion this new Garda Station will provide members of An Garda Síochána with a work environment that is modern and appropriate ensuring they continue to deliver their invaluable service to the Clomnel community and surrounding area.

“This project is one of many significant capital projects that the OPW, An Garda Síochána and the Department of Justice are collaborating on. It is an example of our commitment to delivering fit for purpose places of work.”

14 November 2025

• Taoiseach and Minister O’Callaghan welcome largest single attestation of new Gardaí since 2019
• Major allocations to Cork and Dublin to support high visibility policing
• 194 Gardaí – 57 women and 137 men – and 17 Garda Reserves – 13 men and 4 women – will now be assigned to Garda Divisions across the country
• Largest class of Garda recruits in a decade to enter the Garda College next week.

An Taoiseach Micheál Martin and the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan welcomed the attestation of 194 new Gardaí and 17 Garda Reserves at a ceremony in the Garda College in Templemore today.

Speaking at the Garda College, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said:

“An Garda Síochána was established over a hundred years ago and it continues
to thrive because it grows and adapts with the times. It is a great honour to be
here today and witness the continued growth of An Garda Síochána and to
welcome its newest members.

“We are in a unique and envied position in Ireland where trust between the
public and the Gardaí is strong and where communities want to see more
Gardaí visible in their communities That’s why we’ve committed strongly in the
Programme for Government to strengthening An Garda Síochána over the next
five years.

“At its core, being a Garda is about public service of the highest order. I want to
wish our new Gardaí the very best as they embark on their careers serving and
protecting the people of Ireland.”

Today’s attestation will include a large allocation of probationer Gardaí to Cork to support high visibility policing. 36 Probationer Gardaí from today’s group will be assigned to Cork City Division. This brings the total of number probationer Gardaí allocated to county Cork this year to 76, the largest since the Garda College re-opened in 2014.

Of the 194 attesting today, 137 are men and 57 are women. The new probationer Gardaí will be assigned to Garda Divisions across the country by the Garda Commissioner.

87 of the new Gardaí will be deployed across the Dublin Metropolitan Region, with 47 going to the Southern Region, 39 to the Eastern Region and 21 to North Western Region.

Minister Jim O’Callaghan added:

“My number one priority as Minister is to strengthen An Garda Síochána
through increased recruitment. High visibility policing in our cities and
communities is central to deterring crime and in making the public feel safe. I am
fully supportive and welcome the Commissioner’s operational plan to further
implement highly visibility policing. . The class of 194 new Gardaí, the largest
since 2019, and 17 Garda Reserves attesting today, will have an important role
to play in conducting high visibility operations. .

“The number of applications to join An Garda Síochána this year, over 11,100
through two recruitment campaigns, demonstrates the strong interest in joining
the organisation and in making a positive difference in our communities.
“I am also extremely pleased that next week over 200 new Garda recruits will
enter Templemore to commence their training. This will be the largest intake of
Gardaí trainees in over a decade.”

Notes to Editors

As of today, 619 new Gardaí have attested from the Garda College this year.

571 trainees have entered the Garda College so far in 2025, with a further intake due to begin training next week.

The government is committed to building stronger, safer communities, andstrengthening An Garda Síochána is at the core of that. This is reflected in the unprecedented allocation of over €2.59 billion to An Garda Síochána in Budget 2026.

This funding allows for the continued recruitment of Gardaí , Garda Reserves and
Garda staff.

A second Garda recruitment campaign ran across September and October this year
and received over 4,300 applications. The first recruitment campaign of 2025 ran in
February and attracted over 6,700 applications.

This builds on the steady pipeline of new recruits, which will continue to enter the
College at regular intervals throughout next year.

Strength of An Garda Síochána (14 th November 2025)

• 14,481 Sworn Gardaí
• 312 Garda Reserves
• 3,657 Garda Staff

I was honoured to officially open this new refuge facility in Dublin City which will provide a vital sanctuary for vulnerable women and children, offering safety and care in times of great need. This building is not simply a place to provide refuge but offers families access to a range of supports to help them recover and rebuild their lives.  The refuge was funded by Cuan and will be operated by the Sonas Domestic Violence Charity.