asked the Minister for Justice if he is aware of the many frustrations experienced by enforcement officers and officers of societies for the prevention of cruelty to children because of many inadequacies in the law affecting the enforcement of maintenance orders against parents who neglect their children, particularly when the parents or either of them is resident in Britain; and if he will ensure that effective steps will be taken at the earliest possible date to remedy this state of affairs.
Ceisteanna—Questions Oral Answers. - Prevention of Cruelty to Children.
15.
It will not be possible to have maintenance orders made by the courts in this country enforced against defaulting parents in Britain until such time as appropriate legislation is enacted there. This matter has been the subject of prolonged negotiation with the Home Office in London but we have been given to understand that it is unlikely that the parliamentary timetable will allow of early legislation.
I am doing all in my power to impress on those concerned the necessity for early legislation.