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Social Welfare Benefits

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 March 2022

Tuesday, 22 March 2022

Questions (40)

Ruairí Ó Murchú

Question:

40. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection the actions she will take to prevent lone parents being forced into court to seek maintenance in order to retain income supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14882/22]

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Written answers

One-Parent Family Payment and Jobseeker's Transitional Payment are means tested payments for people who are parenting alone.  One of the conditions attached to these schemes is a requirement for people to make efforts to seek maintenance from their child's other parent.

The Programme for Government commits the Government to act to reform our child maintenance system and in line with this commitment, we 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.

The Group's Terms of Reference are to consider and make recommendations on:

(i) the current treatment of child maintenance payments in my Department;

(ii) the current provisions regarding liable relatives managed by my Department; and

(iii) the establishment of a Child Maintenance Agency in Ireland.

These Terms of Reference encompass an examination of the "efforts to seek maintenance" requirement to which the Deputy refers.

The work of the Group is well underway.  To date, the Group has held sixteen meetings and further meetings are planned on a regular basis until the report's completion.  A consultation process to facilitate feedback from stakeholder groups and members of the public in order to inform the Group's work was undertaken last year. 

I have been advised by the Chair that the Group's report is expected to be submitted to me before Easter.  I look forward to considering it conclusions and recommendations.

I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

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