A separate payment system is already available whereby special arrangements can be made to ensure that a spouse or partner receives a portion of the weekly social welfare payment paid directly in respect of him/herself and children. The system applies in a relatively small number of cases where there are domestic problems.
The manner in which different types of households are treated under the tax and social welfare systems is at present being considered by a working group chaired by my Department which is, among other things, charged with identifying and costing ways of ensuring consistent and equitable treatment of different types of household. The question of making separate social welfare payments directly to adult dependants, as envisaged in the Deputy's question, is being considered by this group. It is expected that it will report in the next few months. Making the separate payment facility available on a more general basis would have substantial administrative and cost implications. A considerable additional investment would be needed in the Department's computer systems and this would have implications for other projects. Depending on the number of applications received, it is estimated that this development could, under present arrangements, cost up to £6 million per annum in additional administration costs.