Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1993

Attachment of earnings order.

[1992, s. 22]

287.—(1) (a) On application to the District Court by a competent authority on whose application the District Court has made an antecedent order, the Court may, to secure payments under the antecedent order, if it is satisfied that the liable relative is a person to whom earnings fall to be paid, make an attachment of earnings order.

(b) References in paragraph (a) to an antecedent order made by the District Court shall include references to such an order made, varied or affirmed on appeal from that Court.

[1992, s. 22]

(2) An attachment of earnings order shall be an order directed to a person who (at the time of the making of the order or at any time thereafter) has the liable relative in his employment and shall operate as a direction to that person to make, at such times as may be specified in the order, periodical deductions of such amounts (specified in the order) as may be appropriate, having regard to the normal deduction rate (within the meaning of subsection (4)(a)) and the protected earnings rate (within the meaning of subsection (4)(b)), from the liable relative's earnings and to pay the amounts deducted at such times as the Court may order to the District Court clerk specified by the attachment of earnings order for transmission to the person or competent authority entitled to receive payments made under the relevant antecedent order.

[1992, s. 22]

(3) An attachment of earnings order shall not be made without the consent of the liable relative, unless the District Court is satisfied that the liable relative has, without reasonable excuse, defaulted in the making of any payment under the relevant antecedent order.

[1992, s. 22]

(4) An attachment of earnings order shall—

(a) specify the normal deduction rate, that is to say, the rate at which the District Court considers it reasonable that the earnings to which the order relates should be applied in satisfying the relevant antecedent order, not exceeding the rate appearing to the District Court to be necessary for the purpose of—

(i) securing payment of the sums falling due from time to time under the relevant antecedent order, and

(ii) securing payment within a reasonable period of any sums already due and unpaid under the relevant antecedent order,

(b) specify the protected earnings rate, that is to say, the rate below which, having regard to the resources and the needs of the liable relative, the District Court considers it proper that the relevant earnings should not be reduced by a payment made in pursuance of the attachment of earnings order, and

(c) contain, so far as they are known to the District Court, such particulars as it considers appropriate for the purpose of enabling the liable relative to be identified by the person to whom the order is directed.

[1992, s. 22]

(5) Payments under an attachment of earnings order shall be in lieu of payments of the like total amount under the relevant antecedent order that have not been made and that, but for the attachment of earnings order, would fall to be made under the relevant antecedent order.