John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 7:

In page 15, between lines 2 and 3, to insert the following:

"Review of means testing of maintenance payments

19. The Minister shall conduct a review and lay a report before the Houses of the Oireachtas on the financial effects of the consideration of maintenance payments as household income in the means test for various social welfare payments and that the report shall be presented to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Employment Affairs and Social Protection within 6 months of the enactment of this Bill.".

This amendment proposes a review of means testing of maintenance payments. We had a comprehensive discussion on this on Committee Stage and there was agreement on the timeframe for it. Initially, I had asked for a report and a review within three months to be brought before the committee. There was an issue with the placement of the word "child" in the amendment. I have amended the proposal, changed the timeframe to six months and removed that word.

There are major issues with maintenance payments being assessed as household income. It is not only in the case of social welfare payments in that it involves broader issues. Some local authorities take maintenance payments into consideration for the differential rent scheme and others do not. There are issues across the board regarding maintenance payments. I do not consider it, nor should it be considered, as a household income. It is an income for the child.

We know the figures on poverty rates among children in one-parent families and all the evidence shows that maintenance payments should and could be used as a means of lifting children out of consistent poverty. We know there are major issues relating to maintenance payments and the process involved for parents who have to go court to try to get the payments. I touched on that issue in a previous amendment, which, unfortunately, was ruled out of order. My party and I brought forward proposals on the creation of a child maintenance service, which we discussed extensively in previous committee hearings. The Minister would say that is an issue for the Department of Justice and Equality but, unfortunately, there is no desire on the part of the Minister or the Department to push that forward. The creation of a statutory child maintenance service to deal with maintenance payments is another important piece of work that needs to be done.

The amendment deals with the means testing of maintenance payments, and the implications and ramifications of that for welfare payments. It would be a useful report and review on all the impacts of that across the board. I have amended the Committee Stage amendment in respect of the timeframe and the removal of that word and I hope, as indicated previously, this amendment will be accepted.

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