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Two countries, close together, with entirely separate family law – and a third system next door in Northern Ireland.
Ireland and England are close enough that families move between them easily and often, and a separation can leave one parent in each country without anyone having planned it that way. Flights are short and frequent, which makes real shared arrangements possible.
The point that causes most confusion is a legal one. The Republic of Ireland is a different country with its own family law – it is not part of the United Kingdom, and it is not covered by an English court order. Northern Ireland is part of the UK but has its own separate legal system, distinct from England and Wales. All three need to be kept apart when working out who decides what.
Situations we are asked about
- One parent in Ireland and one in England, with children travelling between them.
- An English divorce with a property or pension in Ireland.
- Deciding which country should deal with a case where both have a connection.
- Arrangements involving Northern Ireland, which is neither England and Wales nor the Republic.
Money and property in two countries
Irish property and pensions can be discussed in mediation. Whether an English court can deal with them, and how an agreement would be recognised in Ireland, needs advice from lawyers in both jurisdictions.
If a child is taken or kept without agreement
Ireland ratified the 1980 Child Abduction Convention in 1991 and the 1996 Child Protection Convention in 2010, and both are in force between Ireland and the United Kingdom. Note that this concerns the Republic of Ireland; Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom and covered by the UK's own ratification.
This is a summary, not advice, and the exceptions and detail matter enormously. Our guide to the Hague Conventions explains how they work. If a child has already been taken or is not being returned, take specialist legal advice immediately – mediation must never delay that.
School years and holidays
Irish and English school calendars are broadly similar, though the Irish summer break is longer for primary schools and the February and October midterms do not always align with English half terms. The similarity makes planning easier here than almost anywhere else on this list.
Travel, distance and contact
An hour's flying, several flights a day, no time difference and a Common Travel Area that keeps the journey simple. Of all the countries here, Ireland allows the closest thing to an ordinary shared arrangement between two households.
Language and timing
Mediation is held in English. Much of this site can also be read and listened to in six other languages.
Ireland is currently the same time as the UK, so sessions are arranged for a time that works in both places. Appointment times are agreed with each of you beforehand.
How this would work
Everything is held online. Each of you meets the mediator separately first – that is the MIAM, and it is where suitability is assessed, including whether an English mediator is right for your situation at all. After that, joint sessions are arranged at a time that works in both countries, or as shuttle sessions where being in the same call is not right.
A MIAM matters only if a case in England and Wales is possible; a MIAM certificate carries no weight before a foreign court. Mediation cannot decide which country has authority, cannot give legal advice, and what you agree is not enforceable until a lawyer makes it so – so independent advice, usually in both countries, runs alongside.
Where there has been abuse or controlling behaviour, mediation may not be suitable at all: see domestic abuse and mediation.
Fees: a MIAM is £125 per person and joint sessions £180 per person – full fees. The Government voucher and Legal Aid have eligibility rules most families living abroad will not meet; it is checked individually, never assumed.
Not sure an English mediator is the right choice? That is what the free chat is for. If a mediator in your own country would serve you better, we will say so.
Questions we are asked
Is Northern Ireland the same as England and Wales?
No. Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom but has its own courts and its own family law, separate from England and Wales, and separate again from Scotland. A MIAM in England and Wales is not a substitute for the requirements of another jurisdiction.
Can an English mediator help if we both live in Ireland?
Only where the decisions genuinely connect to England and Wales. If they do not, mediation in Ireland is the right route and we will say so at the first meeting.
Sources
- HCCH – status table, 1980 Child Abduction Convention
- HCCH – status table, 1996 Child Protection Convention
- GOV.UK – international parental child abduction
Treaty status and official guidance checked on 27 September 2026.
This page is general information about family mediation. It is not legal advice about your own situation. Whether a court in England and Wales can deal with your case is a legal question, and it needs advice here and in Ireland.