Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie has introduced new child maintenance legislation which is simpler, smoother and quicker.

A mixture of increased benefits for mothers and tougher sanctions on non resident fathers will see the child being put at the heart of the new child maintenance system.

At present one in three non resident parents fail to pay any of the money owed to their children. That means 12,600 children are missing out. The existing system is also too bureaucratic. Now mothers will have benefits secured and absent fathers will have fewer places to hide.

Current child support legislation compels a parent to claim child maintenance unless she can demonstrate she has good cause not to do so. Where she cannot demonstrate this, her benefit is automatically reduced by up to £24.20 per week. The new legislation will remove this potential hardship. Also, the amount of benefit parents with care can keep will be increased by £20 per week by the end of the year and £40 by the end of 2010.

The legislation is being accelerated to ensure Northern Ireland is in line with Britain.

Mrs Ritchie said: "I am putting the child and not the parent at the heart of child maintenance payments. The present system can potentially penalise the child through deducting benefits from the mother. That will now stop. Also, the present system is too bureaucratic - court orders for the recovery of money from absent fathers can take a long time."

The minister then commented on the tougher new powers against non resident fathers not paying their due. These include: the potential withdrawal of passports; curfew orders; criminal offence if a parent fails to notify a change of address; recovery from earnings and bank accounts; recovery from estate of non resident parent. These come on top of existing powers such as disqualification from driving and prison sentences.

The new legislation will also see an Information and Support Service provided to help parents.