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

There are two separate issues here, namely, that of the liable relatives and of maintenance. They are completely separate. The purpose of the liable relative provision is to ensure that the parent who is not looking after the children pays the State towards the cost of the one-parent family payment. It is not an additional income stream for the one-parent allowance recipient.

We did not oppose the Deputy's Bill. It was a timed amendment. I think that Deputy Kerrane and I are on the one page on this because I want to see something done about this and she does too. I want to keep an open mind until I get the report. Judge Catherine Murphy is carrying out a review. She asked for extra time and is due to report by Easter. I will get the report in a couple of weeks. I will look at its findings. We have spoken about this before and the issue of child maintenance needs to be reviewed. I want to see that the parent who is looking after the child gets all the support that he or she can. However, I also want the other parent to take on his or her responsibilities too. Such parents have a duty to do that and to look after the child even though they are not living in the house.

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