Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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635. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when the report of the child maintenance review group will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51179/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Government established a Child Maintenance Review Group to examine certain issues in relation to child maintenance in Ireland.  The Group is chaired by former Circuit Court Judge Catherine Murphy and includes legal, policy and academic professionals as well as officials from my Department and the Department of Justice.

The Group's Terms of Reference are to consider and make recommendations on: (i) the current treatment of child maintenance payments in my Department; (ii) the current provisions regarding liable relatives managed by my Department; and (iii) the establishment of a Child Maintenance Agency in Ireland.

The work of the Group is well underway.  To date, the Group has held eleven meetings and there are a number of other meetings scheduled on a regular basis over the coming months. A consultation process to facilitate feedback from stakeholder groups and members of the public in order to inform the Group's work has been undertaken. The Group's report is due to be finalised by the end of the year. 

I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.