Calls for Revenue to deduct child maintenance from parents who refuse to support kids

The new bill is an anti-child poverty measure.

Independent senator Lynn Ruane has called for changes to be made to Ireland's child maintenance system. She believes parents who refuse to support their children should have their payments deducted. Speaking to Newstalk, the senator revealed her hopes to reform the system in Ireland. She believes it would be best to calculate a parent's child maintenance partly based on their income and how much support they're offering to the child. It is believed the bill will be brought before the Oireachtas soon. She told Newstalk that this bill has been in the works for quite some time. “Currently in Ireland, what happens is you have to go for court if there’s not a collegial relationship between the two parents where the maintenance [needs to be] paid," she explained. She believes a dedicated child maintenance agency should be set up in Ireland. It is understood the proposal is based on New Zealand's system. "In their equivalent of Irish Revenue… the parents would apply voluntarily to Revenue. We’ve built a calculation tool, which takes into account a number of things - such as the amount of care parents provide between them and other children they may have." Senator Ruane believes this is the best method for parents going forward. She explained that signing up to Revenue and agreeing on maintenance payments would be beneficial for parents. She is hopeful the bill will be passed and stressed that it is an "anti-child poverty measure". A missed child maintenance payment can have a "really detrimental" impact on both the parent and child involved, she added. Ruane added that there are details that still need to be sorted out, especially when it comes to parents who are on social welfare payments. What do you think of Senator Ruane's suggestions? Is this something you'd like to see introduced in Ireland?