Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 March 2021
1019. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to extend the liable relative clause in existing social welfare legislation which would allow the maintenance recovery unit to pursue maintenance payments and provide it enforcement powers beyond the remit of the one-parent family payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15393/21]
View answerThe Government established a Child Maintenance Review Group to examine certain issues in relation to child maintenance in Ireland. The Group is chaired by former Circuit Court Judge Catherine Murphy and includes legal, policy and academic professionals as well as officials from my Department and the Department of Justice.
One of the Group's terms of reference is to consider and make recommendations on the liable relatives provisions associated with the One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) which my Department operates. However, it is important to point out that the purpose of the liable relatives provisions is to ensure that, where possible, the non-custodial parent makes a financial contribution to the State where there is an OFP payment in place, thereby reducing the overall cost to the Department. This contribution can be paid either to the OFP recipient directly or to the Department. It is important to point out also that my Department does not pursue maintenance payments on behalf of lone parents and it has no role regarding the enforcement of maintenance orders or any other maintenance arrangements.
The Group is also tasked with considering and making recommendations on the current treatment of child maintenance payments in my Department, and whether or not there is a case for the establishment of a Child Maintenance Agency in Ireland.
The work of the Group is well underway. I am very pleased that the Group launched its public consultation on 11th February. The consultation process which runs until 26th March provides an important opportunity for stakeholders, whether they are individuals or groups, to provide information, experiences and different perspectives on the areas under consideration. These submissions will help to inform the review and the recommendations which the Group will present to me later this year.
