Social Welfare Act, 1991

Budgeting in relation to social welfare payments.

54.—(1) The Minister may make regulations to provide that where a recipient of any benefit, pension, assistance, allowance or supplement under the Principal Act consents, an amount of such benefit, pension, assistance, allowance or supplement which is determined by consultation and agreement between the Minister and the said recipient may be withheld and paid separately by the Minister to such specified body as may be designated by the recipient.

(2) Regulations made under subsection (1) may, in particular and without prejudice to the generality of that subsection—

(a) provide for the withdrawal of consent by a recipient,

(b) provide for the time and manner in which such withdrawal shall take place, and

(c) provide for the adjustment of any amount of benefit, pension, assistance, allowance or supplement as a result of such withdrawal.

(3) In this section a “specified body” means a local authority (for the purposes of the Local Government Act, 1941 ), or any other body established—

(a) by or under any enactment (other than the Companies Acts, 1963 to 1990), or

(b) under the Companies Acts, 1963 to 1990, in pursuance of powers conferred by or under other enactments, and financed wholly or partly by means of moneys provided or loans made or guaranteed by a Minister of the Government or the issue of shares held by or on behalf of a Minister of the Government and a subsidiary of any such body.