Social Welfare Act, 1996

Award of expenses.

34.—Section 261 of the Principal Act is hereby amended by the substitution for subsection (1) of the following subsection:

“(1) (a) In relation to any matter referred to an appeals officer under this Part the following provisions shall apply:

(i) subject to subparagraph (ii), an award shall not be made in respect of any costs (whether in respect of the representation of the appellant or otherwise in relation to such matter) incurred by a person,

(ii) an appeals officer may make an award to a person appearing before the officer towards the person's expenses, which shall be payable by the Minister.

(b) In paragraph (a)(ii), ‘expenses’ means—

(i) expenses necessarily incurred by the appellant or a witness in respect of his or her travel and subsistence or loss of remuneration, and

(ii) in the case of a person appearing before an appeals officer in a representative capacity, an amount only in respect of that person's actual attendance.”.