Minister for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan has launched a public survey to help inform the development of new voluntary guidelines related to the payment of child maintenance. This follows from the publication of last year’s departmental review into how child maintenance orders are enforced. The Review of the Enforcement of Child Maintenance Orders recommends the creation of a Committee to develop guidelines in order to help inform the parents on how to make private child maintenance arrangements. The Committee is chaired by the Department of Justice and the Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan is urging the public to share their views through an online survey launched in April.
The Minister has said that “child maintenance order represent a critical source of stability and security for children across the country. All parents, whether they are married, separated, living together, or have never lived together, have an obligation to support their children based on what they can afford”
The Review of the Enforcement of Child Maintenance Orders was carried out to examine how the current system can be improved, in line with the Family Justice Strategy’s primary goal of supporting children.
The survey is open from 7 April to 2 May 2025. It can be accessed at the following link: Child Maintenance Survey.
Click here to view the Review of the Enforcement of Child Maintenance Orders