A NEW rule under which social welfare officials could tell unmarried mothers to seek maintenance from the fathers of their children has angered Cherish, the association of single parent families.
Fears that unmarried parents could lose their social welfare allowance because of the rule have been expressed by the chairwoman of Cherish, Senator Mary Henry.
The rule is contained in the Social Welfare (Consolidated Payments Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations which, says Senator Henry, contain a stipulation that a single parent must make "such reasonable efforts, as may be required from time to time by an officer of the Minister, to obtain maintenance from a liable relative".
"Cherish would like to know from the Minister what the Department of Social Welfare considers reasonable efforts?" said Senator Henry. "Will a single parent be held responsible if she/he is unable or unwilling to contact the child's other parent to seek maintenance? Will the seeking of maintenance be compulsory? What action will be taken if a single parent refuses to co-operate, and how are the new regulations to be administered?"
She condemned what she called "the lack of public consultation, discussion or debate which preceded the introduction of a major policy change".
The Department of Social Welfare says the maintenance provision had already applied to separated and deserted women and that it is being extended to unmarried mothers as a matter of equity. A spokeswoman said she expected that the new regulation would only affect new claimants for the lone parent's allowance from May onwards.
The guidelines are not yet written, the spokeswoman said, but the Department was in consultation with groups representing single parents and would be happy to include Cherish in the process.
The Department accepted that not all unmarried mothers would know the identity of the father of their child and some might fear violence if they sought maintenance. "We would be very sensitive to the issue of violence," she said.
Cherish has always encouraged single mothers to seek maintenance from fathers, but does not believe such a requirement should be compulsory, Senator Henry laid.