Lone parents to benefit from child maintenance reform

Over 16,000 lone parents are to benefit from reforms of the child maintenance system.

The Social Welfare (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023 gives effect to significant reforms for lone parents, including the exclusion of maintenance payments from social welfare means tests for the first time.

This means that many lone parents on reduced rates of payment will see their payment increase and others will qualify for a payment.

It is estimated that this measure will benefit over 16,000 lone parents and will cost approximately €10 million per year.

Speaking before a Dáil debate on the issue Minister For Social Protection Heather Humphreys said:

“This legislation represents a landmark reform of the child maintenance system in Ireland.

“Under the reforms, child maintenance payments will be excluded from the social welfare means test for the first time.

“It is estimated that this measure will be of direct benefit to some 16,000 lone parents and will play a significant role in reducing child poverty.

“I saw it myself when I worked in the credit union. Some weeks, the child maintenance was paid, other weeks it was missed.

“And the person that suffers most in that situation is the child. And I don’t want to see that happen.

“So this bill will make a positive to so many different families and I’m very pleased to bring it before the Dáil today.”

In addition, the bill provides for liable relative provisions to be discontinued. As a result, for lone parents receiving the One-Parent Family Payment, the department will no longer seek to recoup a portion of claim costs from the non-resident parent.

Minister Humphreys recently signed into effect regulations, which mean that lone parents no longer have to prove that they have made efforts to seek child maintenance from their child’s other parent, when applying for the One Parent Family payment or Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment.

It is important to note that these changes do not replace or supersede the primary responsibility of parents to maintain their children.

Minister Humphreys added:

“I recently signed regulations, which mean that applicants for One-Parent Family Payment and Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment are no longer required to make efforts to seek maintenance from their child’s other parent.

“This requirement often involved lone parents having to go to Court to seek a maintenance order, so this change removes a potential additional stress for them, as well as helping to reduce the burden on our courts system.

“The Bill being published today provides for Liable Relative provisions to be discontinued. This was recommended by the Child Maintenance Review Group and means that for lone parents receiving the One-Parent Family Payment, the Department will no longer seek to recoup a portion of claim costs from the other parent.