The Gazette 1992

GAZETTE

DECEMBER 1992

Application to the District Court

o f f i c e rs in assessing the a m o u n t of the c o n t r i b u t i o ns du e . 6 Th e se guidelines provide t h a t, in calculating the c o n t r i b u t i on d ue by the liable relative, a c c o u nt will be taken of h i s / h er p a r t i c u l ar financial c i r c ums t a n c es a n d c omm i t me n t s. In general, the c o n t r i b u t i on will be b a s ed o n the net pay, less a p e r s o n al allowance which is set at the rate of the p e r s o n al allowance of b e n e f it or assistance payable to the spouse, less a n allowance for any children of h i s / h e rs resident with h im or her (again equivalent to the child d e p e n d a nt allowance rate of the benefit or assistance payable to the spouse). An allowance for a c c ommo d a t i on costs u p to a m a x i m um of £75 per week is given. Th is is reduced by 5 0% where the p e r s on is living with a new p a r t n er w h o is receiving i n c ome in excess of £55 per week f r om emp l o yme n t. An allowance is also given for any mo r t g a ge p a yme n ts which are being paid o n t he f o r mer family h ome where the c l a i ma n t 's s p o u se is residing. T h e r ema i n i ng a m o u nt is d e t e rmi n ed to be the a p p r o p r i a te c o n t r i b u t i o n. T h us the a m o u n t is d e t e rmi n ed as follows: Wh e re the c l a ima nt is already in receipt of a ma i n t e n a n ce o r d er u n d er the Family Law (Ma i n t e n a n ce of Sp o u s es a nd Ch i l d r e n) Act, 1976 or an order m a d e on f o ot of a separation order, p a yme n ts m a d e u n d er t h at order are to o f f s et in wh o le or in p a rt any c o n t r i b u t i o ns d u e a nd the c l a ima nt is liable to t r a n s f er the a m o u n t of the o r d er to the D e p a r t me nt or the He a l th Bo a r d . 7 Th is provision now applies to all ma i n t e n a n ce orders wh e t h er m a d e b e f o re or a f t er Nov emb e r, 1990. 8 If t he c l a ima nt fails to t r a n s f er the p a yme n ts m a d e u n d er the ma i n t e n a n ce order as required, the b e n e f it or allowance paid to t h at p e r s on will be reduced by the a m o u n t which s / h e wo u ld have been liable to transfer. 9 Net pay - Personal allowance - Allowance for child(ren) - A c c ommo d a t i on costs - Mo r t g a ge p a yme n ts - Assessable a m o u nt

ma k i ng a written j u d g eme nt setting out the reasons for d o i ng so. 11

If the liable relative fails or neglects to ma k e the c o n t r i b u t i o n, the D e p a r t me nt of Social Welfare or the He a l th Bo a rd may a p p ly to the District C o u rt for an o r d er directing the liable relative to ma ke such a c o n t r i b u t i o n . 1 0 It a p p e a rs t h at such proceedings will n ot be held in camera. On ce the c o u rt is satisfied t h at the p e r s on b e f o re the c o u rt is liable to ma i n t a in the c l a ima nt (or the children), t h at s / h e h as failed or neglected to ma ke the c o n t r i b u t i on required a nd t h at s / h e was, at the t ime of the h e a r i n g, able to c o n t r i b u t e, the c o u rt shall fix the a m o u n t of the c o n t r i b u t i on to be m a d e a n d shall o r d er p a yme nt thereof by way of such p a yme n ts as t he c o u rt shall think proper. Ag a in the legislation gives n o g u i d a n ce as to how the c o u rt is to assess the a p p r o p r i a te c o n t r i b u t i o n. Possible Defences Th e re are several defences which may be a d v a n c ed by a d e f e n d a nt in such circumstances. Th e se include: As stated above, there is u n f o r t u n a t e ly n o legislative g u i d a n ce as to h ow ability to pay is to be assessed a n d n o g u a r a n t ee t h at the c o u rt will a p p ly criteria similar to t h o se applied by the D e p a r t me n t. T h e Irish caselaw o n the assessment of ma i n t e n a n ce between spouses is not particularly clear a n d, in any case, d i f f e r e nt c o n s i d e r a t i o ns may be held to a p p ly where the proceedings are between o ne s p o u se a nd the D e p a r t me nt of Social Welfare. T h e d i f f i c u l ty of o b t a i n i ng any kind of judicial consistency in this area is a wo r l dw i de o n e a n d h as led in s ome j u r i s d i c t i o ns to the a d o p t i on of p r e s ump t i ve b ut r e bu t t a b le s t a n d a r ds for awards. T h e j u d ge c an only d e p a rt f r om the s t a n d a rd award by a) Inability to pay: . . the legislation gives no gu i dance as to how the court is to assess the appropr i a te c o n t r i b u t i o n"

b) Conduct of the parties:

It is not clear if defences such as desertion or a du l t e ry by the c l a ima nt or t h at the circumstances of the case ma ke it r e p u g n a nt to justice to require the liable relative to c on t r i bu t e, which mi g ht act as a d e f e n ce to a claim for ma i n t e n a n ce inter partes, would o p e r a te to defeat the D e p a r t m e n t 's claim for a c o n t r i b u t i on f r om a liable relative. In National Assistance Board -v- WilkinsonJ 2 the Divisional C o u r t, c on s i d e r i ng similar UK legislation, held t h at a h u s b a nd was not liable to c o n t r i b u te if his wife h a d been guilty of a d u l t e ry or desertion. However, the C o u rt of Ap p e al in National Assistance Board -v- Parkes 13 held t h at the correct basis for this decision was the p h r a se in the UK legislation which required the c o u rt to " h a ve regard to all the c i r c ums t a n c e s " . 14 T h e Irish legislation c o n t a i ns n o such p h r a se a n d the old Irish case of McEvoy -v- Guardians of the Kilkenny Union, 15 which interprets the Irish P o or Law provisions f r om which o ur current legislation is derived, is a u t h o r i ty for the p r o p o s i t i on t h at liability to ma i n t a in is a b s o l u te a nd t h at the b e h a v i o ur of the s p o u se is irrelevant. O n e s p o u se may agree to transfer p r o p e r ty to the o t h er o n the basis t h at n o ma i n t e n a n ce or only a low ma i n t e n a n ce p a yme nt is to be ma d e. It is well established t h at o ne p a r ty c a n n ot c on t r a ct o ut of h i s / h er right to ma i n t e n a n c e . 1 6 No n e t h e l e ss s h o u ld a s u b s e q u e nt a p p l i c a t i on for ma i n t e n a n ce be ma d e, t he c o u r ts may take i n to a c c o u nt all the relevant facts including any p r o p e r ty transfers. 17 Will such an a g r e eme nt be taken into a c c o u nt in deciding wh e t h er a s p o u se is liable to c o n t r i b u t e? T h e UK a u t h o r i t i es are u n a n i mo us t h at an a g r e eme nt between the parties will not relieve a s p o u se f r om liability to ma i n t a in a l t h o u g h, u n d er the UK legislation, it can be taken into a c c o u nt in deciding the a p p r o p r i a te amo u n t . 1 8 c) Agreements between the parties:

388