S.I. No.    630    of 2002

SOCIAL WELFARE (CONSOLIDATED SUPPLEMENTARY WELFARE ALLOWANCE) (AMENDMENT) (NO. 2) REGULATIONS, 2002

The Minister for Social and Family Affairs, in exercise of the powers conferred on her by sections 4 (as amended by section 12 of the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2002 ( No. 27 of 1993 ) hereby makes the following Regulations:

Citation and construction.

1. (1)  These Regulations may be cited as the Social Welfare (Consolidated Supplementary Welfare Allowance) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations, 2002.

(2)  These Regulations and the Social Welfare (Consolidated Supplementary Welfare Allowance) Regulations, 1995 to 2002 shall be construed together as one and may be cited as the Social Welfare (Consolidated Supplementary Welfare Allowance) Regulations, 1995 to 2002.

Interpretation.

2.  In these Regulations “the Principal Regulations” means the Social Welfare (Consolidated Supplementary Allowance) Regulations, 1995 ( S.I. No. 382 of 1995 ).

Commencement.

3.  These Regulations come into operation on 30 December 2002.

Amendment to Principal Regulations.

4.  The Principal Regulations are amended by -

(a)  substituting “EUR 23” for “EUR 10” and “EUR 12” for “EUR 7.62”, in each place where those amounts occur, in article 12 (as amended by article 2 of the Social Welfare (Consolidated Supplementary Welfare Allowance) (Amendment) (No. 1) (Income Disregards) Regulations, 2001 (S.I. 653 of 2001)), and

(b)  substituting “EUR 45” for “EUR 39.36” and “EUR 40” for “EUR 36.82” in article 13 (as amended by article 4 of the Social Welfare (Consolidated Supplementary Welfare Allowance) (Amendment) Regulations, 2001 (S.I. 101 of 2001)).

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

EXPLANATORY NOTE

[This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation]

These Regulations provide for a number of changes to the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme. They provide for -

-  and increase in the maximum amount of Rent Supplement payable to tenants in voluntary housing developments funded through the local authority Capital Assistance scheme as announced in Budget 2003. The maximum amounts are being increased to EUR 40.00 (from EUR 36.82) for a single person and to EUR 45.00 (from EUR 39.36) for households;

-  an increase from EUR 10 to EUR 23 in the amount of pension income disregarded for the purposes of Rent and Mortgage Interest Supplement, and

-  an increase in the minimum contribution payable by a recipient of Rent or Mortgage Interest Supplement. The minimum contribution is being increased from EUR 7.62 to EUR 12.

These amendments are effective from the first week in January 2003.