Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigi il” of 4th June, 2024.

I, HEATHER HUMPHREYS, Minister for Social Protection, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 1 (3) of the Social Welfare and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024 (No. 6 of 2024), hereby order as follows:

1. This Order may be cited as the Social Welfare and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024 (Part 2) (Commencement) Order 2024.

2. In this Order, “Act of 2024” means the Social Welfare and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024 (No. 6 of 2024).

3. The 4th day of June 2024 is appointed as the day on which the following provisions of the Act of 2024 shall come into operation:

(a) sections 3 to 7;

(b) paragraph (a) of section 8(1);

(c) subsection (2) of section 8;

(d) paragraph (b) of section 8(1), for the purpose of the following payments:

(i) jobseeker’s allowance (other than jobseeker’s allowance payable in accordance with section 148A);

(ii) farm assist.

4. The 5th day of June 2024 is appointed as the day on which paragraph (b) of section 8(1) of the Act of 2024 shall come into operation for the purpose of disability allowance.

5. The 6th⁰ day of June 2024 is appointed as the day on which the following provisions of the Act of 2024 shall come into operation:

(a) paragraph (b) of section 8(1) for the purpose of jobseeker’s allowance payable in accordance with section 148A;

(b) paragraphs (d) and (e) of section 8(1);

(c) paragraph (f) of section 8(1) for the purpose of the following payments:

(i) one-parent family payment (other than in respect of a widow, a widower or a surviving civil partner);

(ii) carer’s allowance.

6. The 7th day of June 2024 is appointed as the day on which the following provisions of the Act of 2024 shall come into operation:

(a) paragraph (c) of section 8(1);

(b) paragraph (f) of section 8(1) for the purpose of the following payments:

(i) one-parent family payment (in respect of a widow, a widower or a surviving civil partner);

(ii) blind pension;

(iii) widow’s (non-contributory) pension;

(iv) widower’s (non-contributory) pension;

(v) surviving civil partner’s (non-contributory) pension;

(vi) guardian’s payment (non-contributory).

GIVEN under my Official Seal,

28 May, 2024.

HEATHER HUMPHREYS,

Minister for Social Protection.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

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

This Order provides for the commencement of Part 2 of the Social Welfare and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024 .

The purpose of Part 2 is to change the means tests for social welfare payments so that child maintenance payments will no longer be assessed as means and to remove the liable relatives provisions from the social welfare code.