Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister is effectively saying that the standard fund threshold is not divisible and so it cannot be separated - to use that unfortunate word.

Let us take the example where a pension adjustment order dictates that a pension of €20,000 per year has to go to an ex-spouse. Is the Minister saying that we cannot then calculate what the related standard fund threshold amount is and allocate that to one ex-spouse while the other ex-spouse keeps the balance? Is the Minister saying that cannot be done and setting out the policy grounds from his perspective as to why that would not be desirable?