Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 December 2016
227. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if maintenance payments due by a person (details supplied) will be deducted from their benefit payment and paid to the person's spouse. [38417/16]
View answerThe issue of maintenance payments is first and foremost a private matter for the persons concerned under Family Law.
Where a lone parent is in receipt of the One-Parent Family Payment (OFP), my Department has a statutory requirement to carry out an assessment against the Liable Relative (other parent) and issue a Determination Order for them to pay a contribution either to my Department or to the lone parent, if the criteria is met. These provisions do not replace the obligations of parents under Family Law in relation to maintenance.
With respect to the case referred to by the Deputy, the Department carried out an assessment, as required. Based on this assessment, the person was found to have no current liability to my Department due to insufficient income. As in all such cases, my Department will keep the liable relative’s circumstances under review over the course of the OFP payment to the other relative.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
