Please help! I don't know what to do

[Whoknows1980]

Hoping you can give me your opinions. My daughter was born in Ireland and has an Irish father. I am a single parent after I found out at the 7th month of pregnancy that he had been seeing someone else the whole time and told her I was some crazy person who he had a one night stand with and I became pregnant. That was NOT how it was. Our daughter was planned! Cutting a long story very short- he never paid a penny towards her until I took him to court in Ireland and he didn't come but was ordered to pay me €120 per week. He did this for about six weeks then nothing. He then took it back to court and got it dropped to €40. During this time I had moved me and my daughter back to the uk where I am from as I wanted the support and help of my family and I had found a new job here that would financially secure us better. He paid this €40 for about a year on and off- nothing for the last two years except one payment of €70 for her birthday last year so I could get her a present from him. He owes me approximately €3500. I own a house and pay for everything for her. I don't begrudge that as she is my responsibility but she is also his. I have no idea where to start- I have blocked him from making contact with me by text as he used to say such horrible things to me about the fact he didn't see her often so shouldn't have to pay anything for her. We all know there are many ways to get in contact these days. I have a good relationship with his very large extended family in Ireland and recently visited and had a lovely time with them. He saw his daughter for 20 minutes so she had a dose of daddy and it made his family happy which I am okay with. I have never said a bad word to her about him and will not- she knows that I am cross with him but that's it. I don't know where to start- do I see a solicitor- do I make contact with the courts in Ireland (who are likely not to care as the child is in England so it sits under English law)- do I try the csa- please help somebody! I have since found out that he now has another child who is 3. My daughter is 6. I'm not bothered by this but he hasn't ever told me or my daughter and I find that very sad as the little boy is my daughters half brother. His family speak very poorly of him and say that my daughter is better off away from him but that doesn't help the guilt I feel every day from her not seeing him regularly but why should he play daddy when it suits him yet pay nothing towards her life. Help- I'm a broken woman as I'm so lost in all this and can't bring myself to deal with it because I don't know where to start. Sorry for the essay and TIA

[2wild]

I would advise you to contact the CMA. You have his details. I think they can still get money from counties in the EU.
the gov.uk site has some information.
If they can help it does take the stress away from you.
It does sound like his family are right and you need to put him to the back of your mind. It's nice when children have both parents, but many children do absolutely fine with just one. I hope you feel better soon.