“8A.—Where—

(a) the parents of a dependent child who are not married to each other enter into an agreement in writing after the commencement of Part IV of the Status of Children Act, 1987, that includes either or both of the following provisions, that is to say—

(i) a provision whereby a parent undertakes to make periodical payments towards the maintenance of the child,

(ii) a provision affecting the interests of the child which governs the rights and liabilities of the parents towards one another in respect of the making or securing of payments (other than payments specified in paragraph (a)(i) of this section), or the disposition or use of any property,

and

(b) an application is made by one or both of the parents to the High Court or the Circuit Court for an order making the agreement a rule of court,

that Court may make such an order if it is satisfied that the agreement is a fair and reasonable one which in all the circumstances adequately protects the interests of the child and such order shall, in so far as it relates to a provision specified in paragraph (a)(i) of this section, be deemed, for the purposes of section 9 and Part III of this Act, to be a maintenance order.”.