Kerrane welcomes move on child maintenance supports

Sinn Féin TD Claire Kerrane has welcomed Minister Heather Humphreys’ confirmation that lone parents who apply supports will no longer be required to show that efforts have been made to seek maintenance from the other parent.

However, Deputy Kerrane said there now needs to be necessary legislation to remove the use of child maintenance as means, and called for the implementation of all Child Maintenance Review Group recommendations without any further delay.

“I welcomed the recommendations made by the Child Maintenance Review Group, specifically the removal of child maintenance from the means test for social welfare supports, and an end to lone parents being obliged to show that they have sought maintenance from the other parent as a condition to access and retain social welfare supports,” Deputy Kerrane said.

“It should never have been the case that child maintenance was treated as household means when it is income towards rearing children. Lone par- ents should never have been put in the position of having to seek maintenance from a former partner as a condition to access social welfare supports”.

The Sinn Féin said that this was “very wrong” and the review group reinforced this view with their support.

She welcomed that the Department of Social Protection was being proactive in this matter but said that urgency was now needed to implement the remaining recommendations.