Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The issue of maintenance payments is first and foremost a private matter for the person concerned, and if she cannot resolve the problem, for the Courts through family law provisions.

In every case where a one parent family payment is awarded, this Department seeks to trace the other parent, referred to as the liable relative, in order to ascertain whether he or she is in a financial position to contribute towards the cost of one parent family payment.

The financial position of each liable relative is assessed, taking into account any maintenance payments already being made. All liable relatives assessed with a maintenance liability are notified by the Department and are issued with a maintenance contribution assessment. However, the Department cannot pursue liable relatives who are living outside the Republic of Ireland.

Ireland is party to various international conventions and there are also EU Regulations which facilitate the recovery of maintenance from liable relatives living abroad. Under the Regulations, each member state has a Central Authority for Maintenance Recovery. The Central Authority in Ireland is the . Therefore, a person who is in receipt of reduced maintenance payments can contact the Central Authority for Maintenance Recovery at the Department of Justice and Equality, Bishop's Square, Redmond's Hill, Dublin 2 for assistance (phone (01) 4790290).