Family Law

State rejects creation of child maintenance agency for lone parents

Move had been intended to reduce volume of cases coming to court, but was opposed mainly due to concerns over costs

Lack of child maintenance payments is one of the main reasons why 21.6 per cent of lone parent families live in constant poverty. Picture: Getty

Calls for a state agency to collect child maintenance payments on behalf of lone parents has been rejected.

The state’s review group on child maintenance had been expected to make a recommendation for a new agency so that single parents would no longer have to battle in court with their former partners.

This was supported by four of the seven members, including retired Circuit Court judge Catherine Murphy, who was chairing the group. However, the ...