Northern Irelands Child Support Agency (CSA) has managed to run up debts of more than £82 million pounds the Northern Ireland Audit office has revealed.  The debt increased by £11.6 million in the year to March 31st 2008, in that year the CSA had a debt collection target of just £1.5 million.  The CSA is not allowed to write off debts and the £82 million represents debts amounted over the last six years.

But Auditor General John Dowdall said £35.7 million of the debt was classed as collectable and expressed his concern at the rising levels and at the agency's debt collection target which he said he did not consider to be challenging.

Mr Dowdall conceded the CSA was two years into a three year project to improve the situation. But he said: "Despite the changes that have taken place already in the first two years of the project, controlling debt evidently continues to be a problem for the CSA with ever increasing debt levels."