COURT ORDERS FOR FAMILY MAINTENANCE PAYMENTS MUST BE ENFORCED - Cllr Sarah O'Reilly
An urgent review of the enforcement of family maintenance payments must be put in place in order to protect the needs of mothers and their children.
Aontú Cllr Sarah O’Reilly, a candidate for Cavan Monaghan says that she is receiving more and more representations from constituents whose former partners are not paying the maintenance for their children and says the lack of enforceable mechanisms to ensure timely maintenance payments is creating undue hardship and stress for mothers and children alike.
Cllr O’Reilly says
“I am aware of so many cases in Cavan where court orders for maintenance payments are being completely ignored. Currently, there is no real enforcement, leaving mothers to bear the full burden alone. It is a completely unjust situation and is unacceptable at any time, not least in the middle of a serious cost of living crisis”.
“I am aware of numerous cases where court orders mandating payments are being blatantly ignored. Thousands and thousands of euros in arrears have built up and mothers and their children are really suffering, many are in dire straits”.
“The lack of enforcement is truly appalling. One constituent told me that despite court dates and bench warrants being issued for the arrest of her former partner, he has not been brought to account and she has not received one single cent in payments”.
“She is trying to hold down a full-time job, care for her children and chase down the payments she and her children are entitled to; it’s desperatley unfair”
“My concern goes beyond the financial aspect; it is about accountability. These are his children too, yet there seems to be no effective system to hold him responsible for his obligations”.
“The broader issue here is the systemic failure to support single mothers in this situation. They’re left to shoulder all responsibilities, from bills and school fees to food and clothing, while fathers who do not fulfil their court-mandated obligations face minimal, if any, repercussions”.
“That really is the nub of the issue; people are getting off scot free and unless there are serious repercussion this situation will just go on and on. It is crucial that maintenance payments be enforced consistently and that consequences for non-payment are clearly established”.
