How does child maintenance work in Ireland?

HeadPig

Is it calculated according to salary or needs? How is it decided?

Honey-ec

HeadPig wrote: »

Is it calculated according to salary or needs? How is it decided?

Nope, it's the same for everyone, regardless of means. Pat Kenny and the Taoiseach would get the same as someone on the breadline, if they all had kids the same age.

Same as everywhere else.

You feed it, clean it, service it, rest it etc. Regular maintenance will see many miles out of the average child

HeadPig

Honey-ec wrote: »

Nope, it's the same for everyone, regardless of means. Pat Kenny and the Taoiseach would get the same as someone on the breadline, if they all had kids the same age.

Child maintenance (or "support"), not child benefit.

Sh1tbag OToole

Snotaul Goodman wrote: »

Same as everywhere else.

You feed it, clean it, service it, rest it etc. Regular maintenance will see many miles out of the average child

Although many parents here don't bother changing the oil in their child and then wonder why it packs up.

Fr_Dougal

HeadPig wrote: »

Child maintenance (or "support"), not child benefit.

If it's a diesel and you live in the city you're better off bringing it for a long spin every now and again, it will clean out the particulate filter.

Honey-ec

HeadPig wrote: »

Child maintenance (or "support"), not child benefit.

Ah sorry.

Yes, both parties have to make an affidavit of means to the court and the judge will make a maintenance order based on that and who bears the larger burden of care, etc.

Obviously that's only in court-ordered cases, though. A lot of couples will make an informal arrangement between themselves, which is a recipe for disaster if you ask me.

gowley

Honey-ec wrote: »

Nope, it's the same for everyone, regardless of means. Pat Kenny and the Taoiseach would get the same as someone on the breadline, if they all had kids the same age.

this is complete rubbish. it is calculate by the courts on an individual basis depending on income and needs etc.

HeadPig

So the wealthier the man, the more be pays?

Honey-ec

gowley wrote: »

this is complete rubbish. it is calculate by the courts on an individual basis depending on income and needs etc.

See my post above. I misread child maintenance as childrens' allowance.

gowley

Honey-ec wrote: »

See my post above. I misread child maintenance as childrens' allowance.

its easy too confuse the two

Honey-ec

HeadPig wrote: »

So the wealthier the man, the more be pays?

Generally yes. Although technically, it's the wealthier partner who pays more. This isn't always necessarily the man, but in the real world, 9 times out of 10 it is, because generally, in Ireland, it's the woman who gives up work to look after the kids and is no longer earning.

Why that is, however, is a matter for a whole other thread.

Honey-ec

gowley wrote: »

its easy too confuse the two

About as easy as it is to confuse to with too, I'd say.

gowley

Honey-ec wrote: »

About as easy as it is to confuse to with too, I'd say.

not if you bothered to read the op originally

Geomy

I went to court and the judge nearly cut what I was paying in half, I was paying way too much....

Go the legal route, it'll sort out a lot of problems you won't have to deal with in the future. ..

Good luck with the case :-)

HeadPig

Honey-ec wrote: »

Generally yes. Although technically, it's the wealthier partner who pays more. This isn't always necessarily the man, but in the real world, 9 times out of 10 it is, because generally, in Ireland, it's the woman who gives up work to look after the kids and is no longer earning.

Why that is, however, is a matter for a whole other thread.

So the courts will be aware of the salary/savings of the wealthier partner in question? Full disclosure etc? Seems invasive

Honey-ec

HeadPig wrote: »

So the courts will be aware of the salary/savings of the wealthier partner in question? Full disclosure etc? Seems invasive

Yep, full disclosure, but from both parties, not just the wealthier partner.

MadsL

In Ireland I believe the father gets screwed and has no rights unless they were married is generally how it goes.

No-one else gets to report on the family courts either so the screwing is covered by a reporting ban.

Or maybe that is just what I have heard.

Honey-ec

MadsL wrote: »

In Ireland I believe the father gets screwed and has no rights unless they were married is generally how it goes.

That's the common conception alright, but believe me, women get screwed too. My sister is tearing her hair out because of an ex who doesn't want to see his daughter except when he knows demanding it will fcuk my sister's plans up, and her mortgage is in arrears because she's paying full-time childcare, feeding and clothing her daughter on her own; he won't give her a penny.

The entire family law system in Ireland is broken at a most fundamental level.

Robbo

I believe that the father has to dress up as a Batman and spend all his time bleating on the internet about how the courts hate him in order to get a fair deal.

In before Fathers for Justice, in other words.

MadsL

Robbo wrote: »

I believe that the father has to dress up as a Batman and spend all his time bleating on the internet about how the courts hate him in order to get a fair deal.

In before Fathers for Justice, in other words.

Pretty accurate.

Biological fathers who are unmarried get zilch rights.
Non-biological fathers (raised the child) get even zilcher.

Geomy

Robbo wrote: »

I believe that the father has to dress up as a Batman and spend all his time bleating on the internet about how the courts hate him in order to get a fair deal.

In before Fathers for Justice, in other words.

I got a fair deal,if you're a skanger or a messer it's probably hard enough to get justice.

There's loads of liars not seeing their kids messing the mothers around using the kid's to get at the exe etc
And mother's using the kid's to get at the dad's

The judge's are very clever and can smell the bull**** and spot the dysfunction and skanger types fairly easy....

It's easier to do the right thing, two sides to ever case. ..

JustAThought

From what I hear it's expensive & impossible to get it enforced even with a court order iLife the other side decides to refuse & cheat.

The usual Irish gobshytery.

Morag

Honey-ec wrote: »

Nope, it's the same for everyone, regardless of means. Pat Kenny and the Taoiseach would get the same as someone on the breadline, if they all had kids the same age.

Not true, if you go via the family courts the top award is 150 per week per child but if you can afford to you can go to the high court and there is no limit to the amount which can be awarded.

General General

Drop of coolant mixed with a bottle of water, be grand.

wil

MadsL wrote: »

Pretty accurate.

Biological fathers who are unmarried get zilch rights.
Non-biological fathers (raised the child) get even zilcher.

Pretty messed up alright.
Mother has to adopt her own child if step parent wants to adopt.
Ex-husband is presumed parent of real fathers biological child unless biological father re-registers birth with 3 months.
Deserted divorced mother has to get court order to apply for passport for her children.
Unknown children of ex have same right to inheritance as your own biological children.
Only biological mother has automatic right of guardianship. Biological father only if married to mother before birth, or registered soon after. Anyone else has to go to court.
Chiildren who's parents were married cannot be adopted - though I am not sure if that was/going to be changed by the last referendum.

That's just the ones I've heard of. there's probably lots more anomalies.

Oink

This is probably the best place to check:
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/birth_family_relationships/separation_and_divorce/maintenance_orders_and_agreements.html

limklad

Honey-ec wrote: »

Generally yes. Although technically, it's the wealthier partner who pays more. This isn't always necessarily the man, but in the real world, 9 times out of 10 it is, because generally, in Ireland, it's the woman who gives up work to look after the kids and is no longer earning.

Why that is, however, is a matter for a whole other thread.

And those men who do take time out to look after their and sometimes their partner children as well, is treated like they are perverts or out of a job or useless to get a job by many women folks who are not happy themselves.

The gossip from these women folk is dire towards these men and then often complain that their men is useless. They hate to see men caring and having fun with their own children and those children enjoying themselves and having a balance life with their fathers.

Oh Also the Law and Courts favors the mothers over the fathers to look after children. It does have an impact on men's view and attitude and their lower place in society when it comes to rearing children. Until the Law becomes more gender balance on parents, the issues will continue to fester.

Basically Society attitude needs to change and allow the father greater role in parenting and mother to loosen their vice grip control over the kids who often treat the children like property. It is the same attitude that aggressive men have.

I know plenty of good foolish men who love their children deeply and do anything for them and often their passive aggressive wife or ex partners in control relationships use the children to punish and blackmail the father if she does not get her way.

Yet in Court, the Courts further compounds this message theat the mother is king and queen when they separate when children is concern.

desbrook

Interesting but sobering thought to compare maintaining cars with children . We NCT ten year old cars every year in this country to check they are being looked after correctly - you get a cert and there are harsh penalties for not taking the test or ignoring it's findings and not retesting . Surely we value kids more than cars ??

donutheadhomer

Honey-ec wrote: »

Ah sorry.

Yes, both parties have to make an affidavit of means to the court and the judge will make a maintenance order based on that and who bears the larger burden of care, etc.

Obviously that's only in court-ordered cases, though. A lot of couples will make an informal arrangement between themselves, which is a recipe for disaster if you ask me.

I thought they just gave it to you when the child was born. Mrs Badger never did (and hopefully never will) this court thing. Can we get more if we do go to court with the affidavit of means form?

emmabrighton

limklad wrote: »

And those men who do take time out to look after their and sometimes their partner children as well, is treated like they are perverts or out of a job or useless to get a job by many women folks who are not happy themselves.

LOL It appears that this topic has hit a nerve methinks.

Maybe they are unhappy because they don't get to spend time with their babies? I know that applies to me for sure but I wouldnt assume a stay at home dad is a pervert because he raises his kids. My brother does a fantastic job of it, saying that he is skint as a result.

My OH is a SAHD because he won't work for someone else and can't quite make a living for himself since the property boom went bust and I can think of plenty of negative repercussions for dad staying at home instead of mum. One is that exclusive BF had to stop and instead my son had to switch to formula ... gurr!