Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005

Supplementary provisions.

[1997 s10(1)]

51.—(1) In this Chapter—

(a) “confinement” means labour resulting in the issue of a living child, or labour after 24 weeks of pregnancy resulting in the issue of a child whether alive or dead, and “confined” shall be read accordingly;

“registered medical practitioner” means a person registered in the General Register of Medical Practitioners established under section 26 of the Medical Practitioners Act 1978 ;

“relevant day” means the first day for which maternity benefit is claimed;

(b) references to the date of the confinement shall be taken as referring, where labour begun on one day results in the issue of a child on another day, to the date of the issue of the child or, where a woman is confined with twins or a greater number of children, to the date of the issue of the last child.

[1997 s10(1)]

(2) In deciding whether or not to make an order under section 21A (inserted by the Status of Children Act 1987 ) of the Family Law (Maintenance of Spouses and Children) Act 1976 , in so far as any such order relates to the payment of expenses incidental to the birth of a child, the Circuit Court or the District Court, as the case may be, shall not take into consideration the fact that the mother of the child is entitled to maternity benefit.