State Considers Taking Driving Licenses From Deadbeat Parents
The Justice Ministry has opened discussions on how to deal with parents who dodge their child support obligations, with ideas such as taking away driving and fishing licenses proposed.
Minister Hanno Pevkur told Postimees today that the problem is endemic, with over 470 offenders on a government blacklist for non-payment, adding that the state must find better ways to help single parents.
IRL has proposed setting up a child support fund and making the state itself responsible for collecting the payments.
But the Reform Party has rejected that idea, saying taxpayers should not be involved in what is essentially a private debt matter. It cited Latvia's failed experiment with the idea, which collected only half of the debt.