S.I. No. 269/1987 - Social Welfare (Treatment Benefit) (Amendment) (No. 2). Regulations, 1987.

S.I. No. 269 of 1987.

SOCIAL WELFARE (TREATMENT BENEFIT) (AMENDMENT) (No. 2). REGULATIONS, 1987.

The Minister for Social Welfare in exercise of the powers conferred on him by sections 3 and 110 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1981 (No. 1 of 1981), hereby makes the following Regulations:—

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Social Welfare (Treatment Benefit) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations, 1987.

2. The Social Welfare (Treatment Benefit) Regulations, 1954 ( S.I. No. 156 of 1954 ) are hereby amended:—

( a ) by the insertion in article 4 after the definition of "dental benefit" of the following definition:

"'dependent spouse' means a spouse who is an adult dependant as defined in section 2 (1) of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1981 (No. 1 of 1981) as amended by the Social Welfare (No. 2) Act, 1985 (No. 14 of 1985)."

and

( b ) by the substitution for articles 10A and 10B (inserted by the Social Welfare (Amendment of Miscellaneous Social Insurance Provisions) Regulations, 1985 ( S.I. No. 101 of 1985 )) of the following articles:—

"10A. A dependent spouse shall be entitled to benefit where the contribution conditions specified in article 10 (2) are satisfied by his or her spouse's insurance.

10B. On the death of a spouse whose dependent spouse, at the date of the death, was or would have been entitled to benefit under article 10A the dependent spouse shall be entitled to benefit for so long as the contribution conditions specified in article 10 (2) are satisfied by the deceased spouse's insurance."

3. (1) These Regulations shall be construed as one with the Social Welfare (Treatment Benefit) Regulations, 1954 to 1987, and shall come into operation on the 19th day of October, 1987.

(2) The collective citation "the Social Welfare (Treatment Benefit) Regulations, 1954 to 1987" shall include reference to these Regulations.

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for Social Welfare this 19th day of October, 1987.

MICHAEL WOODS,

Minister for Social Welfare.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These regulations provide that a dependent spouse will be entitled to benefit under the treatment benefit scheme consisting of dental benefit, optical benefit and medical and surgical appliances benefit on the basis of his or her spouses insurance with effect from 19 October, 1987.

The regulations also provide that in the event of the death of the qualified insured worker, the surviving spouse will continue to be entitled to treatment benefits for so long as the contribution conditions are satisfied by the deceased's insurance.