Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will not say I agree with Deputy Brady because there are parts of what he stated I agree with and parts that I do not. I am trying to be clear to the Deputy in stating that it does not fall under the remit of the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.

On what Deputy Brady proposes, the family law legislation takes away the control of the courts and there is an obligation under the law for every parent to be responsible to his or her child. We do not need to pass another law or to establish another agency for parents to have a legal obligation to their child; they have it today.

However, I recognise that lone parents' hearts are broken going back and forth. The courts have it within their remit to put a charge against somebody's wages. It is slightly different when it comes to the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection because the payments that are made from the Department are based on a certain standard of living and to start taking money from those who are only taking money in from the Department might cause difficulties. However, the laws are already there. I acknowledge and appreciate how frustrating they are and how revolving doors are working with people, but it is not within my gift to establish a maintenance agency. It does not come under the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.

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