children's allowance

buzz kilington

In the case where an unmarried father has both guardianship and joint custody of his children, where they live in excess of 50% of the time with him , including school days etc, . Is it the responsibility of the father to pursue this matter in the courts between himself and the mother or does he just apply with the social welfare office for children's allowance? The father also covers most of the children's day-to-day costs.

January

Moving this here as I think you'll get better responses.

buzz kilington

Thanks

amtw

I have cut and pasted this from www.welfare.ie site, go to parents, child benefit then click on guidelines on the right hand side.

Child Not Residing Full-Time With Either Parent

1. Parents residing in separate households
   Child Benefit is payable to the parent with whom the child resides the majority of the time. If the child resides 50% of the time with each parent, the mother is paid.

buzz kilington

Thanks for that. I just couldn't seem to find it.

snubbleste

amtw wrote: »

I have cut and pasted this from www.welfare.ie site, go to parents, child benefit then click on guidelines on the right hand side.

Child Not Residing Full-Time With Either Parent

1. Parents residing in separate households
   Child Benefit is payable to the parent with whom the child resides the majority of the time. If the child resides 50% of the time with each parent, the mother is paid.

Is that not discriminatory?

mrsbyrne

No, IMHO, of course.
Firstly, legally, the mother of a child is always that child's legal gaurdian. The father of a child who is not married to the childs mother, may not be and most usually is not, that childs legal gaurdian. You will agree, im sure, that a father who has not made steps to become a legal gaurdian, or who has been refused legal gaurdianship by a Judge, should not be able to access that childs Child Benefit.
Secondly, and this is only IMO, traditionally mothers were at the mercy of their husbands as regards income. dad may or may not cough up for shoes and clothes and stuff, depending on his attitude. Child benefit was something the mother could count on. sadly, in my experience, dad not coughing up the readies is still a bit prevelant. so, not discriminatory, IMO.

snubbleste

But surely with all this equality and father's rights, we have moved on? Maybe not.

John Mason

the laws were only changed in the late 70's early 80's that mothers could collect the childrens allowance.

before that the father was the only person who could collect it. this was changed as there were complaints that the money was not being used on the children and that the men were drinking it!!!

so no matter which is it, it is discriminatory to someone

iptba

irishbird wrote: »

so no matter which is it, it is discriminatory to someone

If they gave it 50/50 if custody was 50/50, it wouldn't seem to be discriminatory.