Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1981

Appointment and duties of social welfare officers.

[1944 CA, ss. 5, 6; 1960 MP, s. 24]

227.—(1) The Minister may, with the sanction of the Minister for the Public Service, appoint such and so many persons as he thinks proper to be social welfare officers for the purposes of this Part.

(2) Every such officer shall investigate into and report to the Minister upon any claim for or in respect of a children's allowance and any question arising on or in relation to a children's allowance which may be referred to him by the Minister, and may, for the purpose of such investigation and report, require any claimant for a children's allowance or any person in charge of a child in respect of whom the claim is based to furnish him with such information and to produce to him for inspection such documents relative to the claim as such officer may reasonably require.

(3) If any person, being a claimant for a children's allowance or a person in charge of a child in respect of whom the claim is based, fails to furnish to a social welfare officer such information as he is required by this section to furnish to such officer or to produce to a social welfare officer for inspection such documents as he is required by this section to produce to such officer, he shall be guilty of an offence under this section and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine not exceeding £5.