Vol. 473 No. 3
187 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Social Welfare the total number of staff in his Department dealing specifically with compliance of maintenance orders; if he has satisfied himself that this is an adequate number of staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24952/96]
201 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Social Welfare the efforts, if any, which are being made to trace the ex-partners of people in receipt of a lone parent's allowance and a deserted wives benefit and allowance; if so, the number of staff involved in such tracing; the success, if any, of such tracing over the past two years; if he will give details of the number of payments which have been cancelled or reduced as a result of such investigations; his views on the perceived abuse of the system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25158/96]
It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 187 and 201 together.
The work associated with the compliance of maintenance orders is an integral part of the administration of the deserted wife's benefit, deserted wife's allowance and lone parent's allowance schemes which involves about 45 staff excluding management levels. Within this there are six staff who deal directly with the liability to maintain family provisions in the Social Welfare Acts. The work also involves other staff of the Department viz. investigators around the country.
The process of maintenance recovery is a difficult and protracted one. A large proportion of liable relatives are not in a financial position to pay because they are in receipt of a social welfare payment or in low-wage employment. In addition over a quarter of liable relatives cannot be traced. Maintenance recovery action can only be realistically pursued with persons who can be traced and who have the means to make a contribution.
Since the provisions came into force in November 1990, 19,300 cases have been examined to determine liability on the part of a spouse to make contributions to the Department. A total of 745 determination orders have been issued to liable relatives since the commencement of the system, directing that weekly payments be made to the Department; 300 of those orders have been issued in the past two years.
Total receipts so far amount to almost £1.2 million from 350 contributors, of which £0.8 million has been collected in the past two years.
