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Updated to 5 April 2024 (Act No. 9 of 2024 and S.I. No. 141 of 2024)

Social Welfare Act 1991
No. 7 of 1991

Contents

Commencement

SectionCommencement DateCommencement Information
Ss. 1-2 1 April 1991 Commenced on enactment
S. 3, Sch. A, insofar as it relates to unemployment benefit, deserted wife's benefit, invalidity pension and retirement pension 25 July 1991 S. 3(2)(a)
S. 3, Sch. A, insofar as it relates to death benefit under ss. 50-52 of the Principal Act, old age (contributory) pension, survivor's benefit, widow's (contributory) pension and orphan's (contributory) allowance 26 July 1991 S. 3(2)(b)
S. 3, Sch. A, insofar as it relates to disability benefit, maternity allowance, injury benefit, disablement gratuity and disablement pension 29 July 1991 S. 3(2)(c)
S. 4, Sch. B, insofar as it relates to unemployment assistance 24 July 1991 S. 4(2)(a)
S. 4, Sch. B, insofar as it relates to pre-retirement allowance, deserted wife's allowance, prisoner's wife's allowance, single woman's allowance, lone parent's allowance (other than lone parent's allowance payable in respect of a widow or widower) and carer's allowance, 25 July 1991 S. 4(2)(b)
S. 4, Sch. B, insofar as it relates to old age pension, blind pension, widow's (non-contributory) pension, lone parent's allowance payable in respect of a widow or widower and orphan's (non-contributory) pension,  26 July 1991 S. 4(2)(c)
S. 4, Sch. B, insofar as it relates to supplementary welfare allowance 29 July 1991 S. 4(2)(d)
S. 5 1 October 1991 S. 5(3)
S. 6  1 June 1991 S. 6(3)
S. 6 insofar as it relates to the definition of “qualified child” (inserted by s. 6(1) of this Act) into s. 2 (1) of the Principal Act for the purposes of s. 139 (b) of that Act 29 May 1991 S. 6(3)
S. 6 for the purposes of s. 232A of the Principal Act  24 October 1991 S. 6(3)
S. 7 25 July 1991 S. 7(2)
S. 8(1)(a) 25 July 1991 Social Welfare Act 1991 (Section 8 (1) ( a ) (Commencement) Order 1991 (S.I. No. 238 of 1991), art. 2
S. 8(1)(b) 1 April 1991 Commenced on enactment
S. 8(2) 25 July 1991 S. 8(4)(b)
S. 8(3), (4) 1 April 1991 Commenced on enactment
S. 9 1 July 1991 S. 9(2)
S. 10 25 July 1991 S. 10(2)
S. 11 24 July 1991 S. 11(2)
S. 12 6 April 1991 S. 12(2)
S. 13 6 April 1991 S. 13(3)
S. 14 1 April 1991 Commenced on enactment
S. 15 6 April 1991 S. 15(2)
S. 16 in relation to any period of interruption of employment commencing on or after the commencement date 8 April 1991 S. 16(2)
S. 17(1) 29 July 1991 Social Welfare Act 1991 (Section 17) (Commencement) Order 1991 (S.I. No. 207 of 1991), art. 2
S. 17(2) 25 July 1991 Social Welfare Act 1991 (Section 17) (Commencement) Order 1991 (S.I. No. 207 of 1991), art. 3
S. 17(3) 24 July 1991 Social Welfare Act 1991 (Section 17) (Commencement) Order 1991 (S.I. No. 207 of 1991), arts.2, 3
S. 18 Not yet commenced. Requires commencement order under s. 18(2)
S. 19 4 January 1993 Social Welfare Act 1991 (Section 19) (Commencement) Order 1992 (S.I. No. 447 of 1992), art. 2
S. 20 Not yet commenced. Requires commencement order under s. 20(2)
S. 21(1) Not yet commenced. Requires commencement order under s. 21(3)
S. 21(2) 1 April 1991 Commenced on enactment
S. 21(3) Not yet commenced. Requires commencement order under s. 21(3)
S. 22 6 April 1991 S. 22(3)
Ss. 23-26 as respects insured persons as defined in s. 27(1)(a)  6 April 1991 S. 27(1)(a)
Ss. 23-26 as respects the purposes of s. 27(1)(b) as respects retirement pension 28 November 1991  Social Welfare Act 1991 (Section 27 (1) (B)) (Commencement) Order 1991 (S.I. No. 313 of 1991), art. 2(a)
Ss. 23-26 in relation to the purposes of s. 27(1)(b) as respects old age (contributory) pension 29 November 1991 Social Welfare Act 1991 (Section 27 (1) (B)) (Commencement) Order 1991 (S.I. No. 313 of 1991), art. 2(b)
S. 27(1)(a) in relation to insured persons as defined in s. 27(1)(a) 6 April 1991 S. 27(1)(a)
S. 27(1)(b), as respects retirement pension 28 November 1991  Social Welfare Act 1991 (Section 27 (1) (B)) (Commencement) Order 1991 (S.I. No. 313 of 1991), art. 2(a)
S. 27(1)(b), as respects old age (contributory) pension 29 November 1991 Social Welfare Act 1991 (Section 27 (1) (B)) (Commencement) Order 1991 (S.I. No. 313 of 1991), art. 2(b)
S. 27(2) 28 November 1991 Social Welfare Act 1991 (Section 27 (1) (B)) (Commencement) Order 1991 (S.I. No. 313 of 1991), art. 2(a), (b)
Ss. 28-38 1 April 1991 Commenced on enactment
S. 39, Sch. C 6 April 1991 S. 39(3)
S. 40 6 April 1991 S. 40(6)
S. 41 Commenced on enactment
S. 42  in relation to any claim for injury benefit which commences on or after the commencement date 8 April 1991 S. 42(3)
S. 43 1 November 1991 Social Welfare Act 1991 (Section 43) (Commencement) Order 1991 (S.I. No. 280 of 1991), art. 2
S. 44 1 January 1992 S. 44(3)
Ss. 45, 46 Commenced on enactment
S. 47 24 October 1991 S. 47(2)
S. 48 1 April 1991 Commenced on enactment
S. 49 except for a person who on the commencement date has been in receipt of unemployment benefit for more than 155 days in a period of unemployment 11 April 1991 S. 49(2)
S. 50 Not yet commenced. Requires a commencement order under s. 50(3)
Ss. 51-54 1 April 1991 Commenced on enactment
S. 55 in relation to any claim for disability benefit which is received on or after the commencement date 8 April 1991 S. 55(2)
Ss. 56, 57 1 April 1991 Commenced on enactment
S. 58, Sch. D 1 April 1991 Commenced on enactment
Ss. 59-64 1 April 1991 Commenced on enactment

Amendments and other effects

How AffectedAffecting Provision
Repealed (other than ss. 1(1) (3), 2(1) insofar as it relates to def. of "the Pensions Act", 37, 39, 46, pt. VIII, sch. C) with ctnc. of instruments etc. 27/1993, ss. 300-304, schedule 5
S. 18 repealed 5/1992, s. 32(6)
S. 21 repealed 5/1992, s. 19(3), 19(5)
Pt. 4 (ss. 23-27) constr. of relevant person modified 5/1993, ss. 36(5), 41
S. 25 repealed 5/1993, ss. 36(6), 41
S. 27(1)(b) substituted S.I. No. 312 of 1991, arts. 3, 4, schedule
S. 28 amended 5/1992, s. 48
S. 31 repealed 5/1993, ss. 30, 41, schedule C
S. 50(1) repealed 5/1992, s. 28(3)
S. 50(2) repealed 5/1992, s. 27(2)(c), 27(7)(b)

SIs made under the Act

SectionSIs made under the Act
S. 26 Social Welfare Act 1991 (Section 26) Order 1991 (S.I. No. 312 of 1991)
S. 28 Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Control Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations 1992 (S.I. No. 311 of 1992)
  Social Welfare (Child Benefit) Regulations 1992 (S.I. No. 309 of 1992)
  Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Control Provisions) Regulations 1991 (S.I. No. 196 of 1991)
S. 54 Social Welfare (Household Budgeting) Regulations 1993 (S.I. No. 196 of 1993)
S. 59 Social Welfare (Child Benefit) Regulations 1992 (S.I. No. 309 of 1992)
  Social Welfare (Pre-Retirement Allowance) (Amendment) Regulations 1992 (S.I. No. 164 of 1992)
  Social Welfare (Pre-Retirement Allowance) (Amendment) Regulations 1992 (S.I. No. 164 of 1992)
  Social Welfare (Overlapping Benefits) (Amendment) Regulations 1991 (S.I. No. 374 of 1991)
  Social Welfare (Family Income Supplement) Regulations 1991 (S.I. No. 279 of 1991)
  Social Welfare (Old Age and Blind Pensions) Regulations 1991 (S.I. No. 263 of 1991)
  Social Welfare (Lone Parent's Allowance and Other Analogous Payments) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 1991 (S.I. No. 262 of 1991)
  Social Welfare (Pre-Retirement Allowance) (Amendment) Regulations 1991 (S.I. No. 93 of 1991)