puts money into a savings account for the child weekly also, which he wants to be used towards the child's education in the future.
.
Seems an odd thing to do when the child needs maintence now. As others have said, he needs to explain the real situaton to SW.
SW are supposed to ensure that SW payouts are limited and that both parents contribute to the best of their financial ability. SW can bring errant parents to Court for not contributing. However, in this instance a Court has already made it's decision and SW would not be able to amend that decision without reversion to the Court.Are social welfare allowed to decide what maintenance a father should pay ?
This seems to have come about after the wife cut back her working week and applied for assistance from Social Welfare.
ppmeath said:Dad can live in a one room apartment, Mum needs two rooms.
he usually has the child from Friday night to Monday morning, as well as 1 or 2 other nights during the week.
ppmeath said:Does the father have any part or role in childcare?
Hi Paddy,
Firstly if I can address something in your opening post:
"my friend is already paying an agreed amount of maintenance (€80.00 pw) to his estranged wife for their son"
A child is not a "thing" that you pay for. Your friend is not paying his estranged wife for anything, he is contributing to the costs of his child's upbringing, it's not based on what he chooses to buy, nor is it based on how many nights he has the child - it's not pay per view.
When your friend and his wife decided to have a child together, then this child was born with certain rights, one of those is to be brought up in the best standard achievable, as if both parents' remained together - that they are no longer together does not diminish the child's rights.
You friend works full time? And? I'm not sure I get your point here?
"it is his estranged wife that cut back her hours. That is not his fault ! And I would agree that she should work more."
You stated ""It absolutely happened when your friend decided to work less, earn less and then turn to the state to make up the shortfall." But my friend did not decide to work less, he works a full week.
Whose blaming anyone?
You did in your earlier post, incorrectly, see above
But if you think that its nothing to do with the father of the child, then why should it have something to do with the taxpayer?
I'm not saying that it's nothing to do with the father at all, you've missed the point I'm trying to make.
Why did the mother reduce her hours? I do not know to be honest, no real reason to reduce them. No problems with childcare as the child would always be looked after, free or charge.
Does the father have any part or role in childcare? Yes, he often minds the child , when she wants a night out or whenever she may need it.
Is mum paying for childcare? No, provided for already, free of charge
Is she struggling with childcare - 3/4 nights a week is great, but not so great if you're a full time mum trying to juggle childcare 5 days a week.
"His weekly wage comes out to €650.00, after tax. He pays rent of roughly €160.00 per week, the usual household bills, petrol, insurance and puts money into a savings account for the child weekly also, which he wants to be used towards the child's education in the future."
All irrelevant, is Mum earning 650 per week? I do not know what she earns
What is mums rent/mortgage? €250.00 per month
Dad can live in a one room apartment, Mum needs two rooms.
Mum has "all the usual" bills too, higher because there are two people.
I don't mean to be bad Paddy, but your friends son and his welfare is the first obligation always. My friend will never neglect the welfare of his son, that's not what is in question here. If his son needed all his money in the morning, he would gladly give it to him.
If your friend has the child for half the week and is contributing at least half of purchasing the day to day needs of the child (clothes, books, school costs, activities etc), I'm unclear why he should be, and is, paying anything at all to the mother of the child.
He needs to make Social Welfare aware immediately of how many nights a week the child stays with him, what costs he covers for the child and perhaps think of offering formally to the mother that the child can come and live with him full time, with access for the mother whenever she wants and her paying towards the cost of childcare while he is working,
If she wants to go part time or stop working, why should he (or the state for that matter) have to support that choice?
and perhaps think of offering formally to the mother that the child can come and live with him full time, with access for the mother whenever she wants and her paying towards the cost of childcare while he is working, or providing it herself on the days she does not work.
if he is minding his child half the time and paying half or more of the child's costs, he should not be paying anyone anything.
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