S.I. No. 230 of 2005

SOCIAL WELFARE AND PENSIONS ACT 2005 (SECTION 7 (1)) (COMMENCEMENT) ORDER 2005

S.I. No. 230 of 2005

SOCIAL WELFARE AND PENSIONS ACT 2005 (SECTION 7(1)) (COMMENCEMENT) ORDER 2005

The Minister for Social and Family Affairs, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by section 1 (4) of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2005 (No. 4 of 2005), hereby orders as follows :

Citation.

1.  This Order may be cited as the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2005 (Section 7(1)) (Commencement) Order 2005.

Commencement.

2.  The 3rd day of May 2005 is appointed as the day on which section 7 (1) of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2005 (No. 4 of 2005), comes into operation.

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 Section 7(1) of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act, 2005.

Section 7 (1) provides for increased availability of the annual Respite Care Grant scheme, and an increase in its amount.

At present, the legislation provides that the Grant is payable to persons who are in receipt of Carer's Benefit or Carer's Allowance. This section amends the scheme by providing for the extension of the Grant, subject to certain employment related conditions, to all persons providing full time care and attention to an older person or a person with a disability. This section also provides for increasing the Grant from EUR 835 to EUR 1,000 in respect of each person receving full-time care and attention.