Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 July 2018
2541. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of applicants for the lone parent's allowance who failed to have the father's name registered on the child's birth certificate; and the measures she is taking to ensure fathers' names are registered on all birth certificates and maintenance is paid. [34530/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere is no requirement to produce a birth certificate for the purpose of applying for One-Parent Family Payment (OFP). Consequently, there is no record of the number of applicants for OFP that do not have the father’s name included on their child's birth certificate.
There were 62,539 births registered in Ireland in 2017. Of these, 2,045, or 3.3% did not include the father's name. Compulsory registration of fathers' names is provided for in section 6(1)(b) of the Civil Registration (Amendment) Act 2014, which has yet to be commenced. A number of amendments to civil registration legislation, including this provision, remain to be commenced pending agreement from HSE employees to the roll-out of training to staff of the Civil Registration Service who are employees of the HSE.
The General Register Office is in a position to provide this training as soon as the HSE notifies it of the dates and venues. Work has been ongoing to progress this matter and as a result an advance party attended a session recently. It is hoped that the full roll out can be commenced shortly.
Claimants of One-Parent Family payment (OFP) are required to make efforts to obtain maintenance from their former spouse/civil partner/cohabitant or other parent of their child(ren). When a claim for OFP is being investigated the Social Welfare Inspector asks the claimant for the identity of the liable relative. After the claim is awarded, and if it is considered that the liable relative is in a position to contribute to the maintenance of the claimant, they are contacted by my Department and may be interviewed by an inspector. Failure to co-operate with my Department constitutes an offence under Social Welfare Law.
Matters relating to the determination of maintenance and enforcement are the responsibility of the Minister for Justice and Equality and the Courts.
