S.I. No. 93/2014 - Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2012 (Section 19) (Commencement) Order 2014.

Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of 21st February, 2014.

I, JOAN BURTON, Minister for Social Protection, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 1 (4) of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2012 (No. 12 of 2012), hereby order as follows:

1. This Order may be cited as the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2012 (Section 19) (Commencement) Order 2014.

2. The 19th day of February 2014 is appointed as the day on which section 19 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2012 (No. 12 of 2012) comes into operation.

GIVEN under my Official Seal,

18 February 2014.

JOAN BURTON,

Minister for Social Protection.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.)

Section 290 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 provides for a Household Budgeting facility for social welfare recipients who receive their weekly payments through An Post which facilitates them in having a portion of their payment deducted at source and paid over to various utility companies. This facility enables social welfare recipients to make a fixed weekly payment in respect of electricity, gas and telephone bills.

Section 19 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2012 extends the list of utility companies which may participate in this scheme to include licenced energy companies.

This Order provides for the commencement of section 19 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2012 with effect from 19 February 2014.