'The whole thing is tragic; I wish she wasn't before me' Kildare judge tells court

The presiding judge told Naas District Court he wished he didn’t have to deal with a case involving a woman with an intellectual disability.

The woman, aged between 20 and 40, was before the court on an allegation of breaching a protection order, which had been granted to her parents.

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The woman was accompanied by two healthcare professionals to the hearing which was held in private and she was described as having a mildly borderline moderate intellectual disability.

The court was told the woman understands why she was before the court and that she is in full time care in a setting which provides community-based services to people across a number of counties, including Dublin.

The court also heard the woman is in full time respite and her parents were granted a safety order in late December 2025.

St Mary Meade said that on the day after the order was granted the woman was verbally abusive to her mother “putting her in fear.”

“The whole thing is tragic; I wish she wasn’t before me,” said Judge Desmond Zaidan.

The judge adjourned the case to June 25, granted free legal aid to cover a solicitor and said he would provide for a barrister if necessary.

He also said he needed to be sure that the defendant understood what the case is about.