Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

The Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill addresses a whole series of different areas of law that need to be reformed. I assume there is no reality in that Bill being enacted before the general election.

When it was before the House, I invited the Minister for Justice and Law Reform to remove the section that deals with the enforcement of maintenance support orders and to introduce emergency legislation to deal specifically with this issue. I also told him Fine Gael would support it and it could be nodded through the House in 20 minutes. There are wives and mothers across the country who are the beneficiaries of maintenance support orders made in the District Court for either their or child or child support or both. They find their orders are unenforceable and the courts have no method of ensuring they receive payment.

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