S.I. No. 101 of 2000

SOCIAL WELFARE ACT, 2000 (SECTIONS 21 (3) AND 27) (COMMENCEMENT) ORDER, 2000

The Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by sections 21 and 27 of the Social Welfare Act, 2000 (No. 4 of 2000) , hereby orders as follows :

Citation.

1. This Order may be cited as the Social Welfare Act, 2000 (Sections 21 (3) and 27) (Commencement) Order, 2000.

Commencement.

2. The 5th day of April 2000, is hereby appointed as the day on which sections 21 (3) and 27 of the Social Welfare Act, 2000 (No. 4 of 2000) , 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 sections 21 (3) and 27 of the Social Welfare Act, 2000 will come into effect on the 3rd day of April 2000.

Section 21, subsection (3), provides for an increase in the income disregard, applicable to earnings from rehabilitative employment, from £50 to £75 per week. This section also provides for the extension of the £75 disregard to income from self-employment of a rehabilitative nature.

Section 27 provides for the removal of one of the existing disqualifications for entitlement to Unemployment Assitance (UA). At present a person who has entitlement to Unemployment Benefit (UB) may only opt for UA if their entitlement would be greater than that on UB. This section allows an unemployed person to qualify for payment under either scheme so that they receive the most beneficial payment which may also include secondary benefits.