S.I. No. 354/1993:

SOCIAL WELFARE (TEMPORARY PROVISIONS) REGULATIONS, 1993.

SOCIAL WELFARE (TEMPORARY PROVISIONS) REGULATIONS, 1993.

The Minister for Social Welfare, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by sections 4 and 241 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1993 (No. 27 of 1993), hereby makes the following Regulations:--

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Social Welfare (Temporary Provisions) Regulations, 1993.

2. In these Regulations "the Principal Act" means the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1993 .

3. (1) Subject to sub-article (2) of this article, where a person is or becomes entitled to any benefit, pension, assistance or allowance mentioned in this article, any amount payable to him by way of that benefit, pension, assistance, or allowance, (including any increase thereof) shall be increased by a sum equal to 70 per cent. of that amount in respect of the week commencing on--

( a ) the 24th day of November, 1993 in the case of unemployment assistance payable in accordance with section 121 (1) (a) of the Principal Act, or

( b ) the 2nd day of December, 1993 in the case of retirement pension, invalidity pension, deserted wife's benefit, pre-retirement allowance, deserted wife's allowance, prisoner's wife's allowance, lone parent's allowance (other than a lone parent's allowance payable in respect of a widow or a widower) or carer's allowance, or

( c ) the 3rd day of December, 1993 in the case of disablement pension, death benefit under section 60, 61 or 62 of the Principal Act, old age (contributory) pension, survivor's benefit under section 92 of the Principal Act, widow's (contributory) pension, orphan's (contributory) allowance, old age (non-contributory) pension, blind pension, widow's (non-contributory) pension, orphan's (non-contributory) pension or lone parent's allowance payable in respect of a widow or a widower:

Provided that a person (other than a person who by virtue of Regulations made under section 209 of the Principal Act is in receipt of more than one benefit, pension, assistance or allowance) shall not be entitled to more than one such increase.

(2) Where the amount of the increase calculated pursuant to sub-article (1) of this article is less than £20, the said increase shall be payable at an amount of £20.

4. A person who would otherwise be entitled to an increase or an increase at a higher rate under article 3, but for his participation in a Programme known as the Community Enterprise Development Programme shall, subject to article 3, be entitled to receive an amount equal to 70 per cent. of the assistance or allowance (including any increase thereof) to which he would otherwise be entitled but for his participation in the said Programme.

5. Where, by virtue of the provisions of these Regulations, the amount of benefit, pension, assistance or allowance (including any increase thereof) is increased, the amount so payable shall be rounded up to the nearest 10p where it is a multiple of 5p but not also a multiple of 10p and shall be rounded to the nearest 10p where it is not a multiple of 5p or 10p.

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for Social Welfare, this 30th day of November, 1993.

MICHAEL WOODS,

Minister for Social Welfare.

The Minister for Finance hereby consents to the making of the foregoing Regulations.

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for Finance, this 30th day of November, 1993.

BERTIE AHERN,

Minister for Finance.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These Regulations provide for the payment of a Christmas Bonus to long-term social welfare recipients, equivalent to 70 per cent of their normal weekly payment, subject to a minimum payment of £20.

The Bonus payment applies to recipients of--

--disablement pension,

--death benefit by way of pension,

--old age (contributory and non-contributory) pensions,

--retirement pension,

--survivor's benefit,

--invalidity pension,

--widow's (contributory and non-contributory) pensions,

--orphan's (contributory and non-contributory) pensions,

--deserted wife's payments,

--pre-retirement allowance,

--blind pension,

--carer's allowance,

--lone parent's allowance,

--prisoner's wife's allowance, and

--unemployment assistance at the long-term rate.

The Regulations also include provision for payment of the Christmas bonus to certain participants in Community Enterprise Development Programmes.