Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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675. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will report on the consultation process under the review of child maintenance arrangements launched by her Department on 11 February 2021. [55003/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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In line with the Programme for Government commitment, the Government established a Child Maintenance Review Group to examine certain issues in relation to child maintenance in Ireland. The Group's Terms of Reference were to consider and make recommendations on:

(i) the current treatment of child maintenance payments in my Department,

(ii) the current provisions regarding liable relatives managed by my Department, and

(iii) the establishment of a Child Maintenance Agency in Ireland.

In order to inform the work of the Group a public consultation process was conducted. The process took place in February and March 2021. Advertisements were placed online, in national newspapers and on social media to make members of the public aware of the process and to invite feedback. A Consultation Document outlined the work and membership of the Group, along with the three Terms of Reference. In order to help focus the submissions, suggested questions were included.

Forty-four submissions were received from individual members of the public in a personal capacity. Nineteen submissions were received from Members of the Oireachtas, stakeholder groups and interested professionals. The Chair also held online meetings with representatives of a number of stakeholder groups.

The Group's report was submitted to me in April. I have given the report the careful consideration that such an important and complex issue deserves. Given that it relates to issues that are beyond the scope of the social welfare system, I am also consulting Government colleagues.

Once the report has been fully considered, my intention is to bring it to Government before the end of this year, at which time a decision regarding the publication date, and potential implementation of any recommendations, will be made.

I trust this clarifies the position.