Social Protection Committee to meet for pre-legislative scrutiny of the general scheme of the Social Welfare (Child Maintenance & Liable Relatives) Bill 2023

Officials from Department of Social Protection will appear before the Committee.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy Denis Naughten said: “We welcome the opportunity to discuss this legislation that aims to decouple child maintenance from social welfare and provide material benefits for the lone parents affected.”

“The Government established a Child Maintenance Review Group to examine certain issues in relation to child maintenance in Ireland. The Group's Terms of Reference were to consider and make recommendations on the current treatment of child maintenance payments in the social welfare system; the current provisions regarding liable relatives and the establishment of a Child Maintenance Agency in Ireland.”

“The Government has approved changes to implement the report of the Child Maintenance Review Group recommendations regarding social welfare. This includes the recommendation that child maintenance payments will no longer be included in social welfare means test, the “efforts to seek maintenance” requirement for certain payments will no longer apply and the liable relatives provisions operated by the Department of Social Protection should no longer apply.”

“We look forward to discussing the recommendations of the report and further scrutinising the Bill.”

Watch the meeting live here or on the Oireachtas smartphone app for Apple and Android.