Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

In 2014 the Department issued 2,586 determination orders for maintenance.

As a result of the transfer of claimants from the one-parent family payment to the jobseeker's transitional payment in July 2015, 134 or 5% of liable relatives issued with determination orders in 2014 no longer have a liability under the scheme.

The matter of maintenance between a couple who are separating is primarily a matter for the courts. Obviously, parents who have means should contribute to the rearing of their children and should be, as far as possible, involved in their children's upbringing, save in circumstances where there may be issues of domestic violence and so on. As I said, we are reviewing the legislation. As a lawyer, Deputy O'Dea will be aware that this is a matter that falls to be addressed in the context of any arrangements put in place between the two parties. It is important that each of the parents contributes to the upbringing and maintenance of their children.

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