The case of Louise Mason should give us all time to pause and think about
the nature of the family law and child protection system in Northern Ireland.
Louise's three children were taken away from her by the state, and
altogether they have spent five years in care.
She was accused of assaulting a baby daughter and it was not until it was
shown, very late in the day, that the child's internal bleeding was likely
to have come from a kidney tumour that her mother was allowed to resume
proper contact with her children.
Normally, the child protection system works very well. However, in this case
there were failures, and a review needs to be implemented to see what
lessons can be learned.
On the other hand, the legal system has emerged with some credit from the
affair. The Court of Appeal was sufficiently concerned to quash an earlier
care order and remit the affair back to the High Court.
And Mr Justice Gillen's decision yesterday to allow some light into the
normally opaque world of the family courts was a decisive and progressive
move.
The judge is right to assert that the citizens have more confidence in legal
systems when the public can, within reason, scrutinise its workings.
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