Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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1015. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of cases the liable relatives’ unit and maintenance recovery unit have examined since January 2020 to date; the breakdown of payments commenced and payments not commenced, respectively; and the amount collected in this time. [15389/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The issue of family maintenance payments is first and foremost a private matter for the people concerned.

Social Welfare legislation provides that some or all of the cost of One-Parent Family (OFP) payments are recovered. In every case where OFP is awarded, the Department seeks to trace the other parent (liable relative) in order to ascertain whether they are in a financial position to contribute towards the cost of the OFP. Liable relatives are advised that they can meet their liability by making payments directly to the Department or to the OFP recipient.

The methods of assessment of the liable relative's ability to pay are specified in detail in regulations S.I. 571 of 2006 and S.I. 142 of 2007, as amended.

From January 2020 to end February 2021 (latest complete data available) 7,321 cases were examined of which:

- 708 (9.7%) were deemed to be paying the liability agreed by the Department

- 2,842 (38.8%) of these cases were still determined to have a remaining liability to the Department;

- 3,771 (51.5%) cases not eligible or have no liability due.

During this period, 1,305 arrangements were made whereby payments or additional payments were made to the One-Parent Family Payment recipient averaging €49.66 per week.  In a further 53 cases, the liable relatives began paying the Department directly at an average weekly payment of €72.89. 

I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy. 

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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1016. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the amount spent on the one-parent family payment in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021; and the number of payment allocations for each year in tabular form. [15390/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The table beneath outlines the expenditure and the average number of payments for One Parent Family Payment in 2019, 2020 and up to end of February 2021.

One Parent Family Payment Expenditure and Average Recipient Numbers 2019, 2020 & to end of February 2021

The figures for 2020 outturn are provisional and are subject to audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General.

The figures for 2021 are to the end of February and are provisional.

I trust that this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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1017. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of child maintenance payments who are also in receipt of other means-tested social welfare payments; and the breakdown of those also in receipt of the jobseeker’s transitional payment, disability allowance and the one-parent family payment in tabular form. [15391/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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In February 2021, some 39,190 people were in receipt of  One Parent Family Payment, of whom  17,751 people were recorded as also receiving child maintenance. There were 16,078 people who  were in receipt of Jobseeker's Transitional Payment (JST), and 1,872 were recorded as also receiving child maintenance.

The data requested in respect of the other means-tested schemes is set out in the tables below. The tables refer to recipients in February 2021 who also received the listed payment at some time in February 2021.

There may be situations where a OFP or JST recipient is no longer receiving maintenance (or they may be receiving a reduced amount) for their child because the other parent has lost their job due to Covid-19 pandemic.  In these cases, the Department advises that the customer should contact their local Intreo Centre and provide it with a letter (from the recipient) stating that they are no longer receiving the maintenance payment from the other parent.

The Department will then revise the customers payment on that basis for a period of 12 weeks.  After that period their means may be re-assessed at that stage following a review. 

Table 1: Other Means-Tested Schemes - Receives Maintenance

Table 2:Other Means-Tested Schemes - All