Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

"Iris Oifigiúil" of 7th January, 2014.

I, JOAN BURTON, Minister for Social Protection, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 1 (4) of the Social Welfare Act 2012 (No. 43 of 2012), hereby order as follows:

1. This Order may be cited as the Social Welfare Act 2012 (Section 15) (Commencement) Order 2013.

2. The 1st day of January 2014 is appointed as the day on which section 15 of the Social Welfare Act 2012 (No. 43 of 2012) comes into operation.

GIVEN under my Official Seal,

31 December 2013.

JOAN BURTON,

Minister for Social Protection.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

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

Section 15 of the Social Welfare Act 2012 extends the Household Budgeting facility for social welfare recipients by introducing new provisions specific to local authority rents. Under these provisions a new household budgeting arrangement is being introduced whereby tenants of a housing authority or housing body who are in receipt of a social welfare payment may agree to have a portion of their social welfare payment withheld and paid to a local authority in respect of their rent. Once a person participates in this household budgeting arrangement, that person cannot withdraw such agreement without the consent of the relevant housing authority or housing body.

This Order provides for the commencement of Section 15 of the Social Welfare Act 2012 , with effect from 1 January 2014.