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Administration for Children and Families US Department of Health and Human Services
The Office of Child Support Enforcement Giving Hope and Support to America's Children

Reciprocating Jurisdictions to Ireland

March 11, 1996 DC96-15

TO ALL STATE IV-D DIRECTORS

Dear Colleague:

I am pleased to announce that the Irish Minister of Foreign Affairs will issue a declaration, effective May 1., 1996, that all U.S. states are to be considered by Ireland to be reciprocating jurisdictions for the enforcement of child support obligations.

The Irish legislation, the "Maintenance Act, 1994" (Act), provides for the reciprocal enforcement of support obligations with jurisdictions designated as having appropriate procedures for recognition and enforcement of support. The Act sets up a system similar to that established by URESA and UIFSA in the United States. The Irish Minister of Foreign Affairs has the authority to designate which jurisdictions are to be considered reciprocating and has agreed to do so for the United States.

The Irish Central Authority, authorized by the Act, is also the Central Authority under the Hague Convention on international parental child abduction:

Mr. Michael Gleeson

Department of Equality and Law Reform

43-49 Mespil Road

Dublin 4, Ireland

International child support cases should be sent to the Irish Central Authority at this address. The Department of Equality and Law Reform employs lawyers in Ireland's twenty-six county law centers who will provide, without a means test, cost free services for foreign child support applicants.

OCSE is exploring ways for you to access electronic copies of the Irish Act and other reciprocating acts in the near future. For hard copies of the Irish Act or further information about other

Page 2 - Dear Colleague

international child support enforcement matters, please contact Stephen Grant, OCSE's International Child Support Liaison [OCSE, 370 L'Enfant Promenade SW, 4th Floor, Washington DC 20447; phone: 202-260-5943; fax: 202-401-5559].

Sincerely,

David Gray Ross

Deputy Director

Office of Child Support Enforcement

cc: ACF Regional Administrators

ACF Assistant Regional Administrators

CSE Regional Program Managers