STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS.

S.I. No. 45 of 1999.

SOCIAL WELFARE ACT, 1998 (PART IV) (COMMENCEMENT) ORDER, 1999.

S.I. No. 45 of 1999.

SOCIAL WELFARE ACT, 1998 (PART IV) (COMMENCEMENT) ORDER, 1999.

The Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by section 15 of the Social Welfare Act, 1998 ( No. 6 of 1998 ), hereby orders as follows:

Citation.

1. This Order may be cited as the Social Welfare Act, 1998 (Part IV) (Commencement) Order, 1999.

Commencement.

2. The 5th day of February, 1999, is hereby appointed as the day on which Part IV of the Social Welfare Act, 1998 (No. 6 of 1998) , shall come into operation.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

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

This Order provides that Part IV of the Social Welfare Act, 1998 will come into effect on the 5th day of February, 1999.

Part IV provides for

--  the introduction of a new personal social service number (PPSN) which will replace the Revenue and Social Insurance (RSI) number and will be used as a unique identifier within the Public Service,

--  the introduction of a Public Service Card and a Payment Card and

--  the sharing of information between specified bodies for the purposes of determining entitlement to certain social services and for the control of such services.