S.I. No. 346/1981 - Social Welfare (Old Age and Widows' and Orphans' (Contributory) Pensions, Retirement Pension and Deserted Wife's Benefit) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations, 1981.

The Minister for Social Welfare, in exercise of the powers conferred on her by sections 3 , 79 , 84 , 93 and 101 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 (Old Age and Widows' and Orphans' (Contributory) Pensions, Retirement Pension and Deserted Wife's Benefit) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations, 1981.

2. Articles 3 and 4 of these Regulations shall come into operation on the 2nd day of October, 1981 and articles 5 and 6 on the 1st day of October, 1981.

3. The following Schedule shall be substituted for the Schedule to the Social Welfare (Old Age (Contributory) Pension) Regulations, 1960 ( S.I. No. 274 of 1960 ).

“SCHEDULE

Reduced rates of old age (contributory) pensions where contribution conditions are partially satisfied:

Average number of contributions paid or credited per contributions year in the relevant period	Weekly Rate
	Pensioner aged under 80 years	Pensioner aged 80 years or over
	£	£
42 to 47	31.75	34.05
36 to 41	31.20	33.50
30 to 35	30.75	33.00
24 to 29	30.25	32.55
20 to 23	29.80	31.90

4. The following Schedule shall be substituted for the Schedule to the Social Welfare (Widows' and Orphans' (Contributory) Pensions) Regulations, 1966 ( S.I. No. 235 of 1966 ).

“SCHEDULE

Reduced rates of widows' (Contributory) pensions where contribution conditions are partially satisfied.

Average number of contributions paid or credited per contribution year in the relevant period	Weekly Rate
	Widow aged under 66 years	Widow aged 66 years or over but under 80	Widow aged 80 years or over
	£	years	£
		£
42 to 47	28.55	29.10	31.05
36 to 41	28.20	28.75	30.70
30 to 35	27.75	28.30	30.25
24 to 29	27.45	28.00	29.95

5. The following Schedule shall be substituted for the Schedule to the Social Welfare (Retirement Pension) Regulations, 1970 ( S.I. No. 225 of 1970 ).

“SCHEDULE

Reduced rates of retirement pensions where contribution conditions are partially satisfied.

Average number of contributions paid or credited per contribution year in the relevant period	Weekly Rate
	Pensioner aged under 80 years	Pensioner aged 80 years or over
	£	£
42 to 47	31.75	34.05
36 to 41	31.20	33.50
30 to 35	30.75	33.00
24 to 29	30.25	32.55

6. The following Schedule shall be substituted for the Schedule to the Social Welfare (Deserted Wife's Benefit) Regulations, 1973 ( S.I. No. 202 of 1973 ).

“SCHEDULE

Reduced rates of deserted wife's benefit where contribution conditions are partially satisfied.

Average number of contributions paid or credited per contribution year in the relevant period	Weekly Rate
	Deserted wife aged under 66 years	Deserted wife aged 66 years or over but under 80 years	Deserted wife aged 80 years or over
	£		£
		£
42 to 47	28.55	29.10	31.05
36 to 41	28.20	28.75	30.70
30 to 35	27.75	28.30	30.25
24 to 29	27.45	28.00	29.95

	GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for Social Welfare this 1st day of October, 1981.
	EILEEN DESMOND,
	Minister for Social Welfare.

The Minister for Finance hereby sanctions the foregoing Regulations.

	GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for Finance this 1st day of October, 1981.
	JOHN BRUTON,
	Minister for Finance.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

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

The Social Welfare (Variation of Rates of Payments) Regulations, 1981 ( S.I. No. 312 of 1981 ) provide, inter alia, for increases in the maximum rates of old age (contributory), widows' (contributory) and retirement pensions and deserted wife's benefit.

The effect of these Regulations is to provide for increases in the reduced rates of pensions or benefits payable where the contribution conditions are partially satisfied.

The improvements take effect from 2nd October, 1981 in the case of old age (contributory) and widows' (contributory) pensions and from 1st October, 1981 in the case of retirement pension and deserted wife's benefit.