Social Welfare Act, 2001

Qualified adult — rate payable with reduced rate pensions.

27.—(1) The Principal Act is amended by the substitution in section 84 (as amended by section 21 of the Act of 1999) for subsection (8) of the following subsections:

“(8) Regulations under subsection (7) shall provide, subject to subsection (8A), that old age (contributory) pension payable by virtue thereof shall be payable at a rate less than that specified in the Second Schedule, and the rate specified by the regulations may vary by reference to the yearly average so calculated, but any increase of that pension payable under section 87(2) shall be the same as if the claimant had a yearly average of not less than 48.

(8A) In the case of a person who, on 5 April 2001, is entitled to or in receipt of a pension by virtue of regulations under subsection (7) which includes an increase under section 87(1), subsection (8) shall not operate so as to reduce the rate of the increase payable under section 87(1) below such rate as may be prescribed.”.

(2) This section comes into operation on 6 April 2001.