Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I am conscious that the Covid-19 public health restrictions have added to the strain on all parents, and lone parents in particular. While my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality, has lead responsibility for maintenance issues, my Department has moved swiftly to address issues that have been raised regarding maintenance for lone parents as a result of the pandemic.

At the outset of the pandemic, my Department ensured that the pandemic unemployment payment could be paid concurrently with certain social welfare payments, including the one-parent family payment and the jobseekers' transitional payment. My Department has also simplified the system for lone parents to declare the non-payment of maintenance. This ensures that lone parents who are not receiving maintenance do not have to wait until the court order is changed to get their one-parent family or jobseeker's transitional payments reassessed. This measure aims to ensure that lone parents in receipt of these schemes do not experience major income losses due to their maintenance payments ceasing.

Regarding longer term reform, my predecessor established a child maintenance review group to examine a number of issues relating to child maintenance. Specifically, the group is tasked with examining whether there is a case for the establishment of a child maintenance agency. The group is being chaired by former Circuit Court Judge Catherine Murphy. The programme for Government reasserted the commitment by the Government to be guided by international best practice and the findings of this review.

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. It is envisaged that the group will undertake a consultation exercise with representative groups and the public as part of its work. The group will be holding its first meeting in the coming weeks and it is intended that it will submit a report to me within 12 months.

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