asked the Minister for Justice if he will introduce legislation to obtain the return to this country of persons who have deserted their wives and children; if action can be taken to ensure that suitable maintenance will be paid; if the British authorities will be asked to co-operate in this matter; and if, where these steps do not obtain the return of such persons, he will take steps to have special allowances made to educate and to maintain the families affected as the present local authority allowances are completely insufficient.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Deserted Wives and Children.
9.
I am having legislation prepared to provide for an increase in the maximum rate of maintenance allowance which the District Court may order a deserting husband to pay to his wife.
Discussions are at present in progress with the British and Northern Ireland authorities on the question of the reciprocal enforcement of maintenance orders, and I expect that it will be possible to work out a mutually satisfactory arrangement. I am not yet in a position to say when the discussions will be completed and legislation introduced to implement any agreement arrived at in this matter but the Deputy may be assured that there will be no avoidable delay.
I understood that there was some arrangement whereby these people could be taken back?
That is under the Extradition Act which applies only to indictable offences. These are orders of the District Court.
I thought there was power of recall where an erring husband was brought back for not maintaining his wife.
They can get them back on another pretext.
You have to be a criminal before you can be brought back?
At the moment that is it.