Social Welfare Act, 1982

Social insurance benefits (new rates).

2.—(1) The Principal Act (as amended by the Amendment Act of 1981 and varied by the Social Welfare (Variation of Rates of Payments) Regulations, 1981 ( S.I. No. 312 of 1981 )) is hereby amended by the substitution for the Second Schedule to that Act of the Schedule set out in Schedule A to this Act.

(2) Section 21 of the Principal Act is hereby amended by the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (2):

“(2) The weekly rate of disability benefit shall be increased by the appropriate amount set out in column (4), (4a), (5) or (5a) of Part I of the Second Schedule in respect of each qualified child who normally resides with the beneficiary.”.

(3) Section 32 of the Principal Act is hereby amended by the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (2):

“(2) The weekly rate of unemployment benefit shall be increased by the appropriate amount set out in column (4), (4a), (5) or (5a) of Part I of the Second Schedule in respect of each qualified child who normally resides with the beneficiary.”.

(4) Section 44 of the Principal Act is hereby amended by the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (2):

“(2) The weekly rate of injury benefit shall be increased by the appropriate amount set out in column (4), (4a), (5) or (5a) of Part I of the Second Schedule in respect of each qualified child who normally resides with the beneficiary.”.

(5) Section 50 of the Principal Act is hereby amended by the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (9):

“(9) The weekly rate of pension under subsection (2) or (6) shall be increased by the appropriate amount set out in column (4), (4a), (5) or (5a) of Part I of the Second Schedule in respect of each qualified child who normally resides with the beneficiary and who—

(a) normally resided with the beneficiary or the deceased immediately before the death of the deceased, or

(b) being a child, grand-child or step-child of the deceased or of the beneficiary, became normally resident with the beneficiary subsequent to the death of the deceased, or

(c) was adopted by the beneficiary pursuant to the provisions of the Adoption Acts, 1952 to 1976, subsequent to the death of the deceased.”.

(6) Section 81 of the Principal Act is hereby amended by the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (2):

“(2) The weekly rate of old age (contributory) pension shall be increased by the appropriate amount set out in column (4), (4a), (5) or (5a) of Part I of the Second Schedule in respect of each qualified child who normally resides with the beneficiary.”.

(7) Section 86 of the Principal Act is hereby amended by the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (2):

“(2) The weekly rate of retirement pension shall be increased by the appropriate amount set out in column (4), (4a), (5) or (5a) of Part I of the Second Schedule in respect of each qualified child who normally resides with the beneficiary.”.

(8) Section 91 of the Principal Act is hereby amended by the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (2):

“(2) The weekly rate of invalidity pension shall be increased by the appropriate amount set out in column (4), (4a), (5) or (5a) of Part I of the Second Schedule in respect of each qualified child who normally resides with the beneficiary.”.

(9) Section 95 of the Principal Act is hereby amended by the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (1):

“(1) The weekly rate of widow's (contributory) pension shall be increased by the appropriate amount set out in column (4), (4a), (5) or (5a) of Part I of the Second Schedule in respect of each qualified child who normally resides with the beneficiary.”.

(10) Section 103 of the Principal Act is hereby amended by the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (1):

“(1) The weekly rate of deserted wife's benefit shall be increased by the appropriate amount set out in column (4), (4a), (5) or (5a) of Part I of the Second Schedule in respect of each qualified child who normally resides with the beneficiary.”.

(11) This section shall come into operation—

(a) in so far as it relates to disability benefit, unemployment benefit, maternity allowance, injury benefit, disablement gratuity and disablement pension, on the 5th day of April, 1982,

(b) in so far as it relates to deserted wife's benefit, invalidity pension, retirement pension and death grant, on the 1st day of April, 1982, and

(c) in so far as it relates to death benefit under section 50, 51 or 52 of the Principal Act, old age (contributory) pension, widow's (contributory) pension and orphan's (contributory) allowance, on the 2nd day of April, 1982.