Social Welfare Act, 1975

Regulations varying rates of benefit, allowance, pension or assistance.

16.—(1) Notwithstanding anything in the Old Age Pensions Acts, 1908 to 1975, the Unemployment Assistance Acts, 1933 to 1975, the Widows' and Orphans' Pensions Acts, 1935 to 1975, the Social Welfare Acts, 1952 to 1975, or in any regulations made under any of those Acts, the Minister, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, may by regulations vary all or any of the rates of benefit, allowance, pension or assistance payable under any of those Acts.

(2) Regulations under subsection (1) of this section shall not so vary the rate of any benefit, allowance, pension or assistance as to reduce the amount of such benefit, allowance, pension or assistance payable at the commencement of the regulations.

(3) Regulations under subsection (1) of this section shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as may be after they are made and, if a resolution annulling the regulations is passed by either House within the next 21 days on which that House has sat after the regulations have been laid before it, the regulations shall be annulled accordingly, but without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done thereunder.