Fathers’ group protests against child maintenance costs

A group of fathers is protesting outside the Dáil today against the cost of child maintenance fees.

The protest has been organised by the Unmarried Fathers of Ireland organisation in a bid to stop what it says is the criminalisation of fathers who cannot afford to pay high fees.

The organisation says many young fathers are now newly unemployed and have not got the financial means to pay the same weekly instalments they would have paid this time last year.

It says the economic downturn must be taken into account.