“Mammies” forcing up baby DNA tests

(By Brian Hutton)

IRISH mothers who refuse to believe their cherished sons have fathered illegitimate children are among the most popular users of DNA paternity test services, it was revealed yesterday.

A leading paternity testing company claimed its business has rocketed by 80 per cent over the last year because of the “Great Irish Mammy Syndrome”.
Brian O’Dwyer, operations director of the Dublin-based Ormond Quay Paternity Services (OQPS), said potential grandmothers contact the company to find out how to disprove allegations their son had casual sex. “I have had an astonishing number of calls from mothers who believe the girl is not telling the truth,” he said.
OQPS claims that more young sexual partners are turning to DNA testing as a result of crisis pregnancies linked to Ireland’s drink culture.
It also said one in three of its tests over the past 18 months turned up negative – showing the male client was not the biological father of the child.
In 88 per cent of the tests carried out, it was found that the man and woman tested did not share the same surname.

But Brenda Forde of Treoir, which provides services for unmarried parents, urged caution on drawing any firm conclusions from the statistics.

She said there are numerous possible reasons for a rise in the number of tests being carried out, including a drop in the costs.

“About nine years ago, when fewer people were carrying out services, tests were costing around IR£1,000 [€1,300],” she said, adding that recent research showed fewer first-time mothers were getting pregnant in under-23 age groups.