Mother's anger at being forced to pay to see son
A Northern-Irish mother in a custody battle with her Maltese ex-husband was outraged when Appoġġ forced her to pay to see her 10-year-old son.The court granted the woman eight hours of supervised access visits per week. But she has to pay Appoġġ €7.50 per hour for supervision after four hours.“I can’t believe they forced me to pay €30 a week to see my own flesh and blood,” she said.
Appoġġ said parents granted supervised access visits are provided with free supervision for four hours per week, but have to pay €7.50 for every hour afterwards. The policy was introduced in 2004. The fee covers the costs for the service provision, including administration.
Lawyer Veronique Dalli argued, however, that making parents pay to see their child breached human rights.
Full story in The Times.
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49 Comments
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J Martinelli
Mar 5th, 23:37
Does this Irish mom live here or in N Ireland?
If she lives in Ireland, one would assume that she flies over when she wants to visit her son. In that case, why would €30 a week be such a big deal?
Besides the Court ordered eight hours of SUPERVISED visits for a reason.
John Azzopoardi
Mar 5th, 16:32
This is a shameful story.............make peace and not hate.........If this continues, you son will be one angry man once he grows up. parents should never subject a child through something like this. The man will grow up to be bitter one day
Michael Mercieca
Mar 5th, 15:02
I'd call it day light robbery. Shame on you Appogg.
Joe Xuereb
Mar 5th, 14:22
Supervisors are paid by their employer to supervise. Period.
Without going into the merits of the case, over 40 years in the business I never heard of pav for the 'privilege' of visiting rights. Maybe Appoġġ is trying to deter the mother from visiting thus 'proving' she's unfit to parent a child? Often, Maltese Authorities move in mysterious ways, as we know. Devious is the name of the game.
Joe Xuereb
Mar 5th, 14:00
@carlos ellul(Today, 09:34). Sur Ellul, minn mindu tlaqt minn Malta, ilsienna ħa xkanatura mhux ħażin skond dak li spiss nara hawn. U mhux biss kif jiktbu imma wkoll żbalji tal-grammatika. Allura qabel kollox wasal iż-żmien li nammettu s-sitwazzjoni u nibdew ngħallmu l-Malti lill-Malti. Ma jidhirlekx?!
Skużawni l-iżbalji. Ili nieqes nofs seklu.
Mario Fenech
Mar 5th, 16:50
ejdilom joe u ejdilom li meta jejdulna li ahna taljani ahna nirabjaw hu nejdulom never mistake a maltese person for an italian because if you do somebody is gonna get ahurt.
carlos ellul
Mar 5th, 17:51
Naqbel habib. Min naha l ohra trid tifhem wkoll li qieghed nikteb min fuq fuq l mobajl.
R Slater
Mar 5th, 12:30
The actual use of apogg in such cases was the first thing forwarded to myself by a then lawyer, but who now is a judge.
If this is the only solution for the mother then the court should have informed her of this charge, if the court ruled that she could stay with him in a 5 star hotel and pay for her ex to be there and a member of the appogg, the breach of human rights is evident.
Ms. P.M Graham
Mar 5th, 11:34
What about the wee lad going through all this "supervised contact", forget the money what's it doing to him?
What's this battle doing to him!
Perhaps take the 4 free hours, make them work with quality time and then there will be nothing to pay for this service.
Franco Abela
Mar 5th, 13:10
@ Ms. P.M Graham
NONSENSE! I am pretty sure you are not a parent yet as otherwise you won't talk this way.
Ms. P.M Graham
Mar 5th, 13:40
It's not ALL about the parents Mr Abela and what THEY want, (as per usual) Supervised contact has been put in place for a reason and I can't imagine that all of this is very nice for the child, so if she can't afford it or objects to paying for a service from an already over stretched agency then my comment stands.
Peter Murray
Mar 5th, 14:02
Franco Abela ,
I am pretty sure you are unsure, in fact massively incorrect in your claim .Why not elaborate and justify your accusation more courteously and with full disclosure.
J. Galea
Mar 5th, 11:33
Above all, a child has a right to be safeguarded against potential threats. If a court decides that supervised access is - in this respect- necessary and is legally justified then non-excessive payment, according to a country's means, for ensuing services does NOT constitute a breach of Human Rights.
Financial discrimination -if at all- is a separate issue and is not a matter of HR.
Peter Murray
Mar 5th, 11:14
I do wish people would understand and start using xenophobia's true definition , which actually is a FEAR of foreigners
carlos ellul
Mar 5th, 12:04
So you consider a nation who keeps moaning about the influx of EU people (such as romanian or bulgarian) in their backyard garden as xenophobic?
Peter Murray
Mar 5th, 14:05
I never indicated any considerations whatsoever merely advised people on the correct definition and thereby usage of the word xenophobia .Do you FEAR the people you refer too?
Peter Murray
Mar 5th, 14:05
I never indicated any considerations whatsoever merely advised people on the correct definition and thereby usage of the word xenophobia .Do you FEAR the people you refer too?
carlos ellul
Mar 5th, 16:47
I fear nothing apart from some products who I am allergic from and heights. However you didn't answer my question.
Peter Murray
Mar 5th, 11:09
What was the outcome of the hearing held in Malta recently when the the judge advised that the son's veiws would be taken into account?Whatever,why is their a need for "supervised" visitation ,as has the mother been charged with actual bodily harm against her son and is considerd a violent and unstable person or is she a flight risk-what's the reason?
Jay Oatmon
Mar 5th, 11:38
Supervised visits are necessary where parents may not be really kind the angels to their children they claim - talk is cheap but the actions may be different.
The child's safety and security must come first - so supervision is required to ensure the child is not abducted or force fed propaganda about the other parent etc..
Peter Murray
Mar 5th, 12:57
So supposition reigns supreme then does it?I clearly asked on what basis were supervised visits deemed either necessary or appropriate in this case and what were the son's views?So according to your logic supervision must be always applied to ensure "safety and security"
Ronald Cauchi
Mar 5th, 11:08
The point is"do Maltee to pay a fee to see their offspring under supervision?" if not it just shows how afr we are to be fully European as we always claim we are. Xenophobia has always existed in this island and its not just against people of a different skin colour.
Gaby Spiteri
Mar 5th, 10:36
I didn't read the full story.. and from what I've read up here, this is downright wrong, however lets' not mix everything into one bowl.. Appogg is a very good foundation, it saved, helped and aided a lot of our social problems here.. so let's not be so fast to point fingers.
John Joseph Cefai
Mar 5th, 10:33
As sad as this case may be (who knows how many similar cases are there is Malta?), and without going into the merits of the case in particular, I do not think that the tax payer should finance the personal problems of other people. Each individual should shoulder his/her responsibility arising from his/her decisions. The tax payer's money should go for the general good of the country.
JANICE Biggs
Mar 5th, 10:00
This yet another mile stone around the Maltese's neck...hungry for money, their first and foremost bible. Disgusting Appoġġ
B. Cachia
Mar 5th, 10:37
First of all, it hardly sounds like an unreasonably high fee. Secondly, why should the taxpayer have to pay for it, rather than the parties involved?
Eric Soames
Mar 5th, 11:06
JANICE Biggs: Mill stone surely, or do you mean mile stone in history?
Tony Barbaro Sant
Mar 5th, 09:59
I think it's inhuman. No other word for it. Shame on the authorities for condoning this "abuse".
Mr ALBERT LEONE GANADO
Mar 5th, 09:38
How sad that in this modern world everything is reduced to money, In this new world of technology cannot we find a better alternative. A tracking device for example. Thirty euros per visit is no small sum for a single mother in the throes of a contested separation.
Robert Agius
Mar 5th, 09:50
That is called putting a dollar on everything. In other words - capitalism. Some would have us believe, that like a physical theory, there is no other way around things.
carlos ellul
Mar 5th, 11:04
There is another way mr agius. You can pay the fees yourself
John F. Galea
Mar 5th, 09:07
Malta, compared to other small countries like ours, enjoys the best of social services, medical care and education.
Our finances are being stretched to the limit. I fully agree with the policy adopted by Appogg. This should be the practice in other similar cases.
carlos ellul
Mar 5th, 09:34
And we keep forking money for foreigners. Simple example, tertiary education is free in this country. Therefore many EU citizens students are coming to Malta to study here on the taxpayer's money's back. Its time for us to change the system. Maybe we should consider putting the Maltese language and literature at intermediate level as a mandatory subject for all courses.
O Galea
Mar 5th, 10:04
@Carlos..... you're wrong.
Furthermore, they spend money their parents give them plus their accommodation to Maltese people. WE (the taxpayers) do not fork out for them. We do not give them a stipend.
If anything... they bring money into the country.
if we had to use your same yardstick, then most Maltese students would not be able to afford study abroad.
carlos ellul
Mar 5th, 11:01
They may not taking a stipend but they pay nothing for tuition fees etc. I know what i am saying as i know a couple of eu citizens who are milking the gravy train.
I have paid around Lm 8000 in tuiton fees in the past years. (foreign degree)
G Zammit
Mar 5th, 08:57
What a disgrace. Having to pay to see your own child. DISGUSTING.
Mr Karl Ciarlo'
Mar 5th, 09:12
Disgusting indeed. But why does this parent need to have supervised access? Is there a threat to the child? If so, should the taxpayer foot the bill? Think before commenting.
Adrian Gouder
Mar 5th, 09:30
Quick to judge are we? How can you say that if you don't know the case?
G Zammit
Mar 5th, 12:00
It doesn't matter the reason why this mother needs supervised access to see her child. I emphasize on the words 'her child'. Or am i mistaken? is the child for hire? pay by the hour if you dont do the whole 8 hrs weekly you get a cheaper deal. Get real.
Andrew Agius
Mar 5th, 07:57
Oh Carlos, think before you post. Let's add up the costs of all the Maltese claiming benefits and hospital treatment and housing in Great Britain where this lady is from and see how that balances out shall we? Your shallow xenophobia is ill-informed and does Malta no credit.
Matt Azzopardi
Mar 5th, 08:10
Andrew , think before YOU post, hospital treatment & lodging in great britain to patients is covered by the maltese government and Puttinu, in most cases.
Moreover British people who use the medical facilities in Malta , use them for free, as agreed between governments.
so as regards this case, its a service, so pay up.
carlos ellul
Mar 5th, 08:32
Xenophobia? I live in Britain mate and I am paying the same taxes that according to you are financing our entire nation. This problem (people expecting everything for free) is a big problem in Britain and its slowly but surely becoming a big problem in Malta too.
Matthew Grima
Mar 5th, 09:23
It's not becoming a problem Carlos, it is a problem.
Am Camilleri
Mar 5th, 14:22
Just a small point (tho it might not be for her) but she's not from Great Britain, she's from Northern Ireland and/or the UK.
carlos ellul
Mar 5th, 07:39
I think that many foreigners think that malta is some sort of charity group
D Pace
Mar 5th, 08:01
Mr Ellul.......your comment leaves a lot to be desired and so does your level of integrity not to mention apogg's lack of concern for the child and his mother, totally disgusting scenario that only emphasises the greed in Malta which in my opinion is a breach of human rights on the part of the authorities, i am disgusted!!!
carlos ellul
Mar 5th, 09:31
I happen to know some of the Appogg people and believe me, they would never breach someone's human rights. However, if one uses a service then he should be paying for it. The benefit state is already stretched to the limits. Should we give the go ahead on this one and then ask students to pay outrageous sums of money for their tertiary education just like the English people do?
Peter Murray
Mar 5th, 11:12
You obviously spoke and got the views of "many foreigners" didn't you .sir?
carlos ellul
Mar 5th, 12:02
I happen to have traveled alot and met alot of people in my life mr murray. One advice, if you dont like how things work you move. Not worth living don quixotes life.
Please choose the reason of your report below: