Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 June 2020
813. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the position regarding child maintenance services; her plans in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11870/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraIssues relating to child maintenance are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality, who has responsibility for the Family Law Acts, which govern maintenance requirements.
However, in order to address child maintenance and liable relative procedures, insofar as they relate to schemes in my Department, I established a Child Maintenance Review Group to examine a number of issues regarding child maintenance. Specifically, the group is tasked with examining whether there is a case for the establishment of a child maintenance agency in Ireland. It will be chaired by former Circuit Court Judge Catherine Murphy.
The purpose of the Child Maintenance Review Group is to consider and make recommendations on:
- The current treatment within the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection of child maintenance payments;
- The current provisions relating to the liable relatives regarding child maintenance; and
- The establishment of a State Child Maintenance Agency.
The Child Maintenance Review Group's work will get underway shortly.
A number of issues regarding child maintenance have arisen during the Covid-19 pandemic. Where a One Parent Family recipient is no longer receiving their usual maintenance payment, for example because the liable relative concerned has lost their job, they should contact their local Intreo Centre to provide a declaration to that effect. This will allow their means to be reassessed on that basis for a period of 12 weeks, following which the situation will be reviewed.
Given that the family courts are not hearing maintenance cases during the pandemic, this situation will be carefully monitored on an ongoing basis, to ensure that there are no difficulties or hardship for this group of customers.
