Child maintenance and welfare benefits

Hi OP,

First of all if your partner can afford to rent, pay your mortgage, and that much maintenance then it’s incorrect to say there isn’t much left after tax - this is something a lot of couples where one is not working struggle with so count yourself lucky.

Any social welfare entitlements you might be able to avail of will be means tested. The maintenance from your ex will be counted as income. I don’t know what the minimum/maximum requirements are but there will be info on welfare.ie and citizens information.

In my own case there is no maintenance agreement with my ex because I work and our son splits his time between us 50/50, we pay half of large bills like grinds, etc.

I would recommend you use the free mediation service to agree what is fair, though there is a wait for that at the moment.

Would you consider a part time job to help with your income, given your child is of school going age? Tricky at the moment with restrictions but lots of supermarkets are looking and offer part time shifts.

Iced_tea wrote: »

If we sell the house, husband would have to pay his mortgage and rent a place for us if he wants us to stay in Ireland. Honestly there's no much for me there, and say there bc now I'm abroad, I'm a secondary teacher and defo would have more chances to get a job in a school, do what I love and have a career here than in Ireland. But I'm so stupid and always put other people first that I'm willing to stay so our child gets to see her dad as much as she can. I've given up so much since I moved to Ireland and been told by so many people that I have to. Learn to put myself first and I think this separation is a good chance to do it.

Im a bit confused by a few things, I thought you were in Ireland,

You say He would have to pay his mortgage? and rent a place for you+child to stay?in Ireland?? that sounds either like a typo or not how I thought the situation was. It sounds like there is even more than one mortgaged property? when you say sell the house, and he would have to pay his mortgage and your rent? Im not sure how many properties there are but it sounds like 2 owned properties and a potential 3rd rented one? needs clarifying.
I thought you were living in the purchased house and he/you were talking about him moving out to rent, with both/all of you here in Ireland, that sounds like he is living in the purchased house and you abroad,



It really depends on where your here is, how far and if you have employment there now or better prospects than Ireland, if your home place is where you got married and if your child was also born there that would be relevant, If you are a secondary school teacher there, maybe you would have better employment options in your home country as from what Ive heard (but that is on boards mostly) is that teacher training isnt starightforward to transfer from abroad to Ireland and additional qualifications might have to be taken on (which could be the same for a number of professions here, but thats a seperate thing I dont know fully about, I think a Hdip in teaching??).


Also, I think the father has a right to see and know their child, and visa versa the child know and see their father, on the one hand it sounds like you are putting yourself first which I can understand as a child has time and can adapt and change into circumstances and an adult has less time to do so, on the other it depends on what opportunities the child might have being there over being in Ireland. If your child was born abroad, are they or you Irish citizens, it is likely to have some relevance for you and the father and your child.


That all said I can understand where you are coming from and it might be very possible for a parent to have some kind of relationship long distance with a child with the technology available, difficult, maybe more costly (in that funds might not always be available to visit) and tough, but not impossible. Maybe the father would like the child to visit them for extended holidays when they were off school if they live abroad though, how that might feel to you is probably how it feels to the father when they are away from their child all the rest of the time.

Id say its very difficult form a long distance from an emotional perspective.


I dont get why you would think he would have to foot the bill fully for a stay here, maybe you could fulfill requirements to be a teacher here through supplementary training (whats required to work here, not that your skills arent up to scratch), but I imagine it would be a long road and cost a few quid. Childcare might be more rewarding than working in a shop and your existing skills might be transferable even among different age groups as there might be after school care for more grown up children that need to get homework done and not just infants/toddlers/small children.


imo, if the father is working here and helping with childcare supports and gets to see their child if abroad (which sounds to me like a decision you have made or might regret not progressing a career yourself), then it seems it might be more sensible to keep the house for him to live in as it might cost less than renting or trying to purchase all over again and that might help his ability to provide maintenance, it doesnt sound like there would be much equity left to share out if anything and wrap things up if bought only recently, ON the other hand it might be sensible to sell up and tie off loose ends, knowing after sale costs there will be little to nothing left out of any equity.
It depends on a few things imo
The Country you are from/in, and what opportunities the child will have there, and how far/easy/difficult it is to get there in terms of if they are equal or similar opportunities then maybe different countries is possible.
If you bought the house together, how much was contributed by each party and are all names associated with the property.
The nationalities, what is on someones passport may affect things,
imo discussing things is the only way, I dont know if that has occurred or didnt come to pass for some reason or if mediation was explored.
It does sound like a good deal (and dont take this the wrong way) of your decsion is based on what opportunities you have here compared to your home country (which I can understand), I think it is relevant what the childs opportunities will be there compared to Ireland, thinking of waht a 12hr radiius from Ireland might be, if its the US I can see they may well have similar opportunities and you better compared to here for less cost and similarly there may be other locations elsewhere where that is the case, I wont name other places for fear of offending, but there are likely places that dont offer that.

Iced_tea wrote: »

Husband broke up with me in December last year, we have a 5 year old child. I've been living in Ireland for almost 5 years and been a SAHM the whole time.
We took out a joint mortgage and bought a house in early 2018, even tho I didn't have a cent and couldn't put anything towards the deposit.
Were separating and were very confused mainly about child maintenance and what to do with the house.
Husband's salary is way above average but after taxes isn't too much. We were talking about me and our child staying in the house and he would move out and rent somewhere else while still paying our house mortgage (around €1,100 a month). However we can't really agree on child maintenance, he suggested something between €500 and €600 a month, and that should cover our child needs and house bills as such electricity, bins and Internet. Im not sure if that amount is fair enough.

I get child benefit payment every month, but I'd like to know if I'm entitled to any other benefit like medical card or drug payment card.

How much more than 1700 a month do you think is "fair enough". Genuine question. He needs to be left with sufficient means too, and given that you will likely stay in the family home until your child is 18 or older if they go to third level, it's a long time for him to be struggling to survive.

OP,

It is positive that you are looking to childminding, with your teaching background I’m sure you will have a lot to offer and as you said it will suit your child too with hours.

I also say fair play for putting your child’s needs ahead of your own and choosing to remain in a country that is not your home country where you have little supports and your qualifications as a teacher might not stand as is, so that your child can have a meaningful relationship with both parents.

I think your (ex) husband paying the mortgage in full in addition to 500/600 per month is generous and I don’t think it would be reasonable to ask for more especially as you have no childcare costs. But put pen and paper together and work out the actual costs (bearing in mind the children’s allowance you get) as that will help rather than plucking a figure out of the blue. You are lucky the man in this case is a high earner and can afford this in addition to his own rent.

You may be entitled to claim one parent family payment, you would need to contact your local intreo centre

Sorry scrap this I see you're not in the country anymore

why is the OP looking for a medical card and other state benefits as well as child maintenance if she dosn’t live in this country anymore and neither she nor her child are Either a resident or living here? Does she think someone won’t notice??? ? Welfare shopping? Are they planning on renting out the family house and claim benefits? This will trigger all kinds of fines if not declared and issues when it is seen - not to mention the 50% tax+ revenue will come looking for.

Is the husband still living and working in Ireland? Is she planning on childminding abroad? If her child is now 5 why dosn’t she go back to school too to teach - should he oay for her to sit around all morning when she can probably get hours or get back her career job now that her child can attend school and she is free.

More questions than answers here.

The OP has stated that she is not an EU citizen and her home country that she has already left and taken his child to for is an 18 hour flight away. It all seems more than a little distorted.

In her past comments she said that her home was an 18 hour flight away, in a non EU country, that neither she nor her child were Irish and she had taken the child and flown the 18 hours back to her home country with it to ‘be with her friends and ‘family and was no longer living in Ireland’. All of which begs questions as to why she wants to claim Irish social welfare benefits available to people living in this country for herself as neither she nor the child are even living on this continent anymore.

Im not getting into any speculation about the rest of it - I doubt the father on his reported huge salary will qualify for a means tested medical card. etc etc

This is what OP has posted in another thread -


‘Hi, I'm separating from my Irish husband, we have a small girl and I'm going back to my home country (18 hours flight from here) next month. Its been hard for him but agrees that our child will be better with me, I've been suffering a lot and I need my family and best friends close to me. We got married abroad and our child was born outside the EU and so far we haven't agreed on anything about money or visiting.’

But it’s unclear from this thread whether or not OP has moved or not

YellowLead wrote: »

This is what OP has posted in another thread -

‘Hi, I'm separating from my Irish husband, we have a small girl and I'm going back to my home country (18 hours flight from here) next month. Its been hard for him but agrees that our child will be better with me, I've been suffering a lot and I need my family and best friends close to me. We got married abroad and our child was born outside the EU and so far we haven't agreed on anything about money or visiting.’

But it’s unclear from this thread whether or not OP has moved or not

Thats probably where I read it then, the OP stated in this thread they had left this country.

jrosen wrote: »

Its complicated, she can claim CB because her husband pays tax in ireland. But any other support? Im not sure she would qualify for anything. If she lives in a Non EU country and he works and pays tax here then what laws need to be followed with the separation?

Legal advice is needed OP.

Id have thought the resident tax payer could claim, Im astonished another person not residing here or paying tax can though.


Personally, Id say talk things through between both parents and listen to each other, even if a possible end result is or seems to be known, mediation might better help discuss things, even if abroad this might be possible, especially with covid restrictions, Id consider that before going in strong with legal advice because a solicitor is looking out for themselves too.

jrosen wrote: »

1874 wrote: »

Thats probably where I read it then, the OP stated in this thread they had left this country.





Id have thought the resident tax payer could claim, Im astonished another person not residing here or paying tax can though.


Once one parent is paying tax in Ireland child benefit can be claimed for the child.

But the other benefits being queried ? I would think so as straight forward

A straightforward no.
And the husband is on a huge salary apparently - so little chance for him.
Someone now living an 18 hour flight away wants to claim benefits off the Itish Taxpayer social welfare system - it really beggars belief. Particularly when they have a career and professional qualification but seem not to want to bother working in their home country.
i hope the SWI are well on top of this.

Can’t keep up with your changing stories - a while back you had no money, no income, made no contribution to the house, had no savings, no family - now here you are flying around the world
medical shopping, worrying about a e7 visit but I suspect the flights and travel costs and accommodation and quarentineon return would far outpace that. Im not sure what saving flying a 5 yo to south america would be to visit a GP but even basic maths says laugh. Your first post was about wanting a medical card and free medical treatments - it seems there are a lot of resources available to you including ‘borrowing’ from new friends and family that would obviously precent you from qualifying for a medical card - including as well your husbands 7,500 a month income. And the fact that you seem to be trotting around the globe and have the resources to pay for this despute having no income, no resources and wanting to get Irish social welfare payments - a country you and your child don’t live in.

I’m not bothering anymore. I’m glad the SWI keep an eye on these sites. The bells will be ringing like new years eve at St Patricks cathedral when you turn up at the counter.

Of course you could always get work now that your child will be in school - even if you don’t want to work in your chosen career as a teacher anymore.

Anyone who looks back on your posts can see the constantly changing stories and poormouth/ suddenly have money fluxuations. You started off looking to see what benefits you could claum and specifically focused on wanting a medical card hence the reply. Your circumstances have changed in every other post - no money, no family, no friends, no income, etc etc but sure you’re fine flying around the world with your child using money you can access ( but not yours of course because you want to claim benefits and have no income & no job & no savings) and you might come back to Ireland and your husbands 7,500 a month salary and claim benefits ( and a medical card of course) if you can figure out what you can get. I see tour child is used to flying around the world with you and all that goes with that in terms of costs and health risks at the moment and quarrentine. I’m sorry your marriage broke up. I hope you find work as a trained teacher again.