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Social Welfare Act, 1978

1978 5

No. 5/1978:

SOCIAL WELFARE ACT, 1978

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

1 Definitions.

2 Old age pensions (new rates).

3 Old age pensions (modification of residence condition).

4 Unemployment assistance (new rates).

5 Unemployment assistance (removal of special conditions applying to certain women).

6 Unemployment assistance (removal of special conditions applying to certain women for entitlement to qualification certificates).

7 Widows' (non-contributory) pensions, deserted wife's allowance, social assistance allowance for unmarried mothers and prisoner's wife's allowance (new rates).

8 Widows' (non-contributory) pensions (removal of two-year residence condition).

9 Orphans' (non-contributory) pensions (new rates).

10 Single woman's allowance (new rates).

11 Old age (care) allowance (new rate).

12 Supplementary welfare allowance (new rates).

13 Supplementary welfare allowance (extension of meaning of "adult dependant").

14 Social insurance benefits (new rates).

15 Unemployment benefit (increase of certain rates).

16 Extension of definition of "orphan" in Act of 1935 and Act of 1952.

17 Employment contributions (new rates).

18 Voluntary contributions (new rates).

19 Occupational injuries (new rates of benefits and contributions).

20 Occupational injuries (special increase for pensioners living alone).

21 Power to pay old age pension pending certain decisions, on determination of social welfare officer.

22 Removal of power to recover old age pension overpayments by deduction from payments due to another person.

23 Short title, construction and collective citation.

^{____________________________}

AN ACT TO AMEND AND EXTEND THE OLD AGE PENSIONS ACTS, 1908 TO 1977, THE UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE ACTS, 1933 TO 1977, THE WIDOWS' AND ORPHANS' PENSIONS ACTS, 1935 TO 1977, AND THE SOCIAL WELFARE ACTS, 1952 TO 1977.

[21st March, 1978]

BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS:

Definitions.

1.—In this Act—

"the Act of 1933" means the Unemployment Assistance Act, 1933 ;

"the Act of 1935" means the Widows' and Orphans' Pensions Act, 1935 ;

"the Act of 1952" means the Social Welfare Act, 1952 ;

"the Act of 1961" means the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1961 ;

"the Act of 1962" means the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1962;

"the Act of 1965" means the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1965 ;

"the Act of 1966" means the Social Welfare (Occupational Injuries) Act 1966 ;

"the Act of 1969" means the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1969 ;

"the Act of 1975" means the Social Welfare Act, 1975 ;

"the Act of 1976" means the Social Welfare Act, 1976 ;

"the Act of 1977" means the Social Welfare Act, 1977 ;

"the Regulations of 1977" means the Social Welfare (Variation of Rates of Payments) Regulations, 1977 ( S.I. No. 313 of 1977 ).

Old age pensions (new rates).

2.—(1) Section 77 of the Act of 1952 is hereby amended by the substitution for subsection (2) (inserted by the Act of 1977 as varied by the Regulations of 1977) of the following subsection:—

"(2) ( a ) A pension shall, in lieu of any other rate, be—

(i) where the weekly means of the claimant or pensioner do not exceed £16—at the rate set out in Table A to this subsection,

(ii) where the weekly means of the claimant or pensioner exceed £16—at the rate at which, in accordance with that Table, the pension would be payable if the weekly means of the claimant or pensioner exceeded £15 but did not exceed £16, less £1.40 for each amount (if any) of £1 by which those weekly means exceed £16, any fraction of £1 in those weekly means being treated for this purpose as £1; provided that if the rate calculated pursuant to this paragraph at which, but for this proviso, the pension would be payable is less than 50 new pence, the pension shall not be payable,

(iii) where the pensioner has attained the age of 80 years—at the rate of pension payable to him in accordance with subparagraph (i) or (ii) of this paragraph plus £1.05,

and the rate of pension so determined shall be increased, where the pensioner is one of a married couple, by the amount set out in Table B to this subsection—

(A) if the pensioner is a man, in respect of his wife if he is living with or wholly or mainly maintaining her and she is not in receipt of pension under the Acts or any benefit or pension under the Social Welfare Acts, 1952 to 1978, or

(B) if the pensioner is a woman, in respect of her husband if she is wholly or mainly maintaining him and he is incapable of self-support by reason of physical or mental infirmity and is not in receipt of pension under the Acts or any benefit or pension under the Social Welfare Acts, 1952 to 1978.

( b ) For the purposes of this subsection, weekly means shall be the yearly means divided by fifty-two.

TABLE A

RATE OF PENSION

Means of claimant or Pensioner	Weekly Rate
Claimant or pensioner, no qualified child	Claimant or pensioner, one qualified child	Claimant or pensioner, two or more qualified children
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)
	£	£	£
Where the weekly means of the claimant or pensioner—				Plus, where there are more than two qualified children, £2·75 for each qualified child in excess of two.
do not exceed £6	13·60	17·25	20·90}
exceed £6 but do not exceed £7	12·20	15·85	19·50}
exceed £7 but do not exceed £8	10·80	14·45	18·10}
exceed £8 but do not exceed £9	9·40	13·05	16·70}
exceed £9 but do not exceed £10	8·00	11·65	15·30}
exceed £10 but do not exceed £11	6·60	10·25	13·90}
exceed £11 but do not exceed £12	5·20	8·85	12·50}
exceed £12 but do not exceed £13	3·80	7·45	11·10}
exceed £13 but do not exceed £14	2·40	6·05	9·70}
exceed £14 but do not exceed £15	1·00	4·65	8·30}
exceed £15 but do not exceed £16	no pension	3·25	6·90}

TABLE B

INCREASE FOR AN ADULT DEPENDANT

Means of claimant or pensioner	Weekly rate of increase
Where the weekly means of the claimant or pensioner—
	£
do not exceed £6	6·75
exceed £6 but do not exceed £7	6·00
exceed £7 but do not exceed £8	5·35
exceed £8 but do not exceed £9	4·55
exceed £9 but do not exceed £10	3·80
exceed £10 but do not exceed £11	3·15
exceed £11 but do not exceed £12	2·35
exceed £12 but do not exceed £13	1·65
exceed £13 but do not exceed £14	0·95
exceed £14	Nil

"

(2) Section 77 (5) (inserted by the Act of 1969) of the Act of 1952 is hereby amended by the substitution of "seven pounds, sixty new pence" for "six pounds, ninety new pence" (inserted by the Regulations of 1977).

(3) Section 77 (6) (inserted by the Act of 1977) of the Act of 1952 is hereby amended by the substitution of "£1.10" for "£1".

(4) This section shall come into operation on the 7th day of April, 1978.

Old age pensions (modification of residence condition).

3.—The Old Age Pensions Act, 1932 , is hereby amended by the substitution of the following for section 2 (1) (inserted by the Social Welfare (No. 2) Act, 1976 ):

"(1) In lieu of the second statutory condition contained in paragraph (2) (repealed by this Act) of section 2 of the Act of 1908, it is hereby enacted that it shall be a condition for the receipt of an old age pension by any person that he shall satisfy the pension authorities that he has had his residence in the State for an aggregate period of not less than 15 years.".

Unemployment assistance (new rates).

4.—(1) In the Act of 1933, Schedule A to this section is hereby substituted for the Schedule to that Act inserted by the Act of 1977 as varied by the Regulations of 1977.

(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1) of this section—

( a ) Schedule B to this section shall apply in the case of a person for whom the yearly value of any advantage accruing to him from the use of land, the rateable valuation of which exceeds £10 but does not exceed £15 and which is personally used or enjoyed by him, is calculated in accordance with section 8 of the Act of 1965 and, accordingly, the rates of unemployment assistance to be taken into account in the case of such a person for the purposes of section 10 (3) (c) (inserted by the Act of 1962) of the Act of 1933 shall be those specified in that Schedule, and

( b ) the Schedule to the Act of 1933 inserted by the Act of 1975, as varied by the Social Welfare (Variation of Rates of Payments) Regulations, 1975 ( S.I. No. 215 of 1975 ), shall continue to apply in the case of a person for whom the yearly value of any advantage accruing to him from the use of land, the rateable valuation of which exceeds £15 and which is personally used or enjoyed by him, is calculated in accordance with section 8 of the Act of 1965 and, accordingly, the rates of unemployment assistance to be taken into account in the case of such a person for the purposes of section 10 (3) (c) (inserted by the Act of 1962) of the Act of 1933 shall be those specified in that Schedule as so varied.

(3) This section shall come into operation on the 29th day of March, 1978.

SCHEDULE A

RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE

Classes of persons to whom the rates of unemployment assistance set out in this Schedule are applicable	Weekly rate of unemployment assistance applicable to persons resident in any urban area	Weekly rate of unemployment assistance applicable to persons resident in any other place
Person without a dependant	£11·75	£11·35
Person with an adult dependant	£20·30	£19·70
Person with an adult dependant and one child dependant	£23· 95	£23·35
Person with an adult dependant and two or more child dependants	£27·60	£27·00
	plus, where there are more than two child dependants, £2·75 for each child dependant in excess of two.	plus, where there are more than two child dependants, £2·75 for each child dependant in excess of two.
Person with one child dependant	£15·55	£15·15
Person with two or more child dependants	£19·20	£18·80
	plus, where here are more than two child dependants, £2·75 for each child dependant in excess of two.	plus, where there are more than two child dependants, £2·75 for each child dependant in excess of two.

SCHEDULE B

RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE

Classes of persons to whom the rates of unemployment set out in this Schedule are applicable	Weekly rate of unemployment assistance applicable to persons resident in any urban area	Weekly rate of unemployment assistance applicable assistance to persons resident in any other place
Person without a dependant	£9·80	£9·40
Person with an adult dependant	£16·90	£16·40
Person with an adult dependant and one child dependant	£19·90	£19·40
Person with an adult dependant and two or more child dependants	£22·90	£22·40
	plus, where there are more than two child dependants, £2·30 for each child dependant in excess of two.	plus, where there are more than two child dependants, £2·30 for each child dependant in excess of two.
Person with one child dependant	£12·95	£12·55
Person with two or more child dependants	£15·95	£15·55
	plus, where there are more than two child dependants, £2·30 for each child dependant in excess of two.	plus, where there are more than two child dependants, £2·30 for each child dependant in excess of two.

Unemployment assistance (removal of special conditions applying to certain women).

5.—(1) Section 15 (1) of the Act of 1933 is hereby amended by the deletion of paragraph (f).

(2) This section shall come into operation on the 1st day of October, 1978.

Unemployment assistance (removal of special conditions applying to certain women for entitlement to qualification certificates).

6.—Section 10 (3) of the Act of 1933 is hereby amended by the deletion of paragraphs (e) and (f).

Widows' (non-contributory) pensions, deserted wife's allowance, social assistance allowance for unmarried mothers and prisoner's wife's allowance (new rates).

7.—(1) Section 20 (inserted by the Act of 1952) of the Act of 1935 is hereby amended by the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (1) (inserted by the Act of 1977) as varied by the Regulations of 1977:

"(1) ( a ) A widow's (non-contributory) pension shall, subject to the provisions of this Act, be—

(i) where the weekly means of the widow do not exceed £16—at the rate set out in Table B to this subsection, and

(ii) where the weekly means of the widow exceed £16—at the rate at which, in accordance with that Table, the pension would be payable to the widow if her weekly means exceeded £15 but did not exceed £16, less £1.40 for each amount (if any) of £1 by which those weekly means exceed £16, any fraction of £1 in those weekly means being treated for this purpose as £1; provided that if the rate calculated pursuant to this paragraph at which, but for this proviso, the pension would be payable is less than 50 new pence, the pension shall not be payable.

( b ) For the purposes of this subsection, weekly means shall be the yearly means divided by fifty-two.

TABLE B

WEEKLY RATES OF WIDOWS '(NON-CONTRIBUTORY) PENSIONS

Means of Widow	Widow, no qualified child	Widow, one qualified child	Widow, two or more qualified children
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)
Where the weekly means of the widow—	£	£	£	Plus, where there are more than two qualified children, £4·50 for each qualified child in excess of two.
do not exceed £6	13·60	18·10	22·60}
exceed £6 but do not exceed £7	12·20	16·70	21·20}
exceed £7 but do not exceed £8	10·80	15·30	19·80}
exceed £8 but do not exceed £9	9·40	13·90	18·40}
exceed £9 but do not exceed £10	8·00	12·50	17·00}
exceed £10 but do not exceed £11	6·60	11·10	15·60}
exceed £11 but do not exceed £12	5·20	9·70	14·20}
exceed £12 but do not exceed £13	3·80	8·30	12·80}
exceed £13 but do not exceed £14	2·40	6·90	11·40}
exceed £14 but do not exceed £15	1·00	5·50	10·00}
exceed £15 but do not exceed £16	no pension	4·10	8·60}

"

(2) This section, in so far as it relates to widow's (non-contributory) pension, shall come into operation on the 7th day of April, 1978, and, in so far as it relates to deserted wife's allowance, social assistance allowance for unmarried mothers and prisoner's wife's allowance, on the 6th day of April, 1978.

Widows' (non-contributory) pensions (removal of two-year residence condition).

8.—(1) Section 29 (3) of the Act of 1935, as amended by the Act of 1961, is hereby repealed.

(2) This section shall come into operation on the 1st day of April, 1978.

Orphans' (non-contributory) pensions (new rates).

9.—(1) Section 25 (inserted by the Social Welfare Act, 1973 ) of the Act of 1935 is hereby amended by the substitution for the, Table (inserted by the Act of 1977 as varied by the Regulations of 1977) to subsection (1) of the Table to this section.

(2) This section shall come into operation on the 7th day of April, 1978.

TABLE

WEEKLY RATES OF ORPHANS' (NON-CONTRIBUTORY) PENSIONS

Means of Orphan	Weekly Rates
Where the weekly means of the orphan—	£
do not exceed £1	8·85
exceed £1 but do not exceed £2	7·40
exceed £2 but do not exceed £3	5·90
exceed £3 but do not exceed £4	4·45
exceed £4 but do not exceed £5	3·00
exceed £5 but do not exceed £6	1·50
exceed £6	no pension

Single woman's allowance (new rates).

10.—(1) Section 8 of the Social Welfare (No. 2) Act, 1974 , is hereby amended by the substitution for the Table to that section (inserted by the Act of 1977 as varied by the Regulations of 1977) of the Table to this section.

(2) This section shall come into operation on the 6th day of April, 1978.

TABLE

RATE OF SINGLE WOMAN'S ALLOWANCE

Means of Claimant or Beneficiary	Weekly Rate
Where the weekly means of the claimant or beneficiary	£
do not exceed £1	11·75
exceed £1 but do not exceed £2	10·35
exceed £2 but do not exceed £3	8·95
exceed £3 but do not exceed £4	7·55
exceed £4 but do not exceed £5	6·15
exceed £5 but do not exceed £6	4·75
exceed £6 but do not exceed £7	3·35
exceed £7 but do not exceed £8	1·95
exceed £8 but do not exceed £9	0·55
exceed £9	no allowance

Old age (care) allowance (new rate).

11.—(1) Section 21 (1) of the Social Welfare Act, 1970 , is hereby amended by the substitution of "£7.60" for "£6.90" (inserted by the Regulations of 1977).

(2) This section shall come into operation on the 6th day of April, 1978.

Supplementary welfare allowance (new rates).

12.—(1) The weekly amounts payable under section 10 of the Social Welfare (Supplementary Welfare Allowances) Act, 1975 , and set out in the Table to subsection (1) of that section, as varied by the Social Welfare (Variation of Rates of Supplementary Welfare Allowance) (No. 2) Regulations, 1977 ( S.I. No. 318 of 1977 ), shall be the amounts set out in the Table to this section.

(2) This section shall come into operation on the 3rd day of April, 1978.

TABLE

WEEKLY AMOUNTS OF SUPPLEMENTARY WELFARE ALLOWANCE

Classes of persons to whom the amounts of supplementary welfare allowance are applicable	Weekly amount of supplementary welfare allowance
(1)	(2)
Person without a dependant	£11·35
Person with an adult dependant	£19·70
Person with an adult dependant and one child dependant	£23·35
Person with an adult dependant and two or more child dependants	£27·00 plus, where there are more than two child dependants, £2·75 for each child dependant in excess of two.
Person with one child dependant	£15·15
Person with two or more child dependants	£18·80 plus, where there are more than two child dependants, £2·75 for each child dependant in excess of two.

Supplementary welfare allowance (extension of meaning of "adult dependant").

13.—(1) The following is hereby substituted for paragraph (c) of section 10 (2) of the Social Welfare (Supplementary Welfare Allowances) Act, 1975 :

"( c ) in the case of a single person, a widow, a widower or a person in receipt of deserted wife's allowance or deserted wife's benefit under the Social Welfare Acts, 1952 to 1978, a female person (being a person who has attained the age of 16 years) having the care of his or her child dependant or dependants and wholly or mainly maintained by him or her;".

(2) This section shall come into operation on the 3rd day of April, 1978.

Social insurance benefits (new rates).

14.—(1) The Third Schedule to the Act of 1952 is hereby amended by the substitution for Part I (inserted by the Act of 1977 as varied by the Regulations of 1977) of the following Part:

"PART I

RATES OF PERIODICAL BENEFITS AND OF INCREASES THEREOF

Description of Benefit	Weekly Rate	Increase for adult dependant (where payable)	Increase for qualified child or for each of two qualified children (where payable)	Increase for each qualified child in excess of two (where payable)	Increase for adult dependant under section 26 (4) (where payable)
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)
	£	£	£	£	£
1. Disability Benefit and Unemployment Benefit:
( a ) in the case of persons over the age of eighteen—
(i) for a man, single woman or widow, married woman living apart from and unable to obtain any financial assistance from her husband or married woman entitled to an increase for a qualified child or qualified children or for a husband	14·35	9·35	4·15	3·40	—
(ii) for any other married woman.	12·50	—	—	—	—
( b ) in the case of persons under the age of eighteen—
(i) where the person is entitled to an increase for a qualified child or qualified children or for an adult dependant	14·35	9·35	4·15	3·40	—
(ii) where the person is not so entitled	12·50	—	—	—	—
2. Invalidity Pension:
( a ) for a man, single woman or widow, married woman living apart from and unable to obtain any financial assistance from her husband or married woman entitled to an increase for a qualified child or qualified children or for a husband	14·35	9·35	4·15	3·40	7·60
( b ) for any other married woman	12·50	—	—	—	7·60
3. Maternity Allowance	14·35	—	—	—	—
4. Widow's (Contributory) Pension:
( a ) in the case of persons under the age of eighty	14·60	—	4·90	4·90	7·60
( b ) in any other case	15·75	—	4·90	4·90	7·60
5. Deserted Wife's Benefit	14·60	—	4·90	4·90	4·90
6. Orphan's (Contributory) Allowance	10·60	—	—	—	—
7. Retirement Pension and Old Age (Contributory) Pension:
( a ) in the case of persons under the age of eighty	16·05	10·25	4·15	3·40	7·60
( b ) in any other case	17·05	10·25	4·15	3·40	7·60
( c ) additional increase for an adult dependant who has attained pensionable age	—	1·85	—	—	—

"

(2) Section 14 (2) of the Act of 1977 is hereby amended by the substitution of "£1.10" for "£1".

(3) The Third Schedule to the Act of 1952 is hereby amended by the substitution of the following for Part II (inserted by the Act of 1965):

"PART II

AMOUNT OF GRANTS

Description of Grant	Amount
(1)	(2)
	£
1. Maternity Grant	8
2. Death Grant:
(a) in case the deceased person was a qualified child under the age of five years	10
(b) in case the deceased person was any other qualified child	30
(c) in any other case	50

"

(4) This section shall come into operation—

( a ) in so far as it relates to disability benefit, unemployment benefit, maternity allowance, maternity grant and death grant—on the 3rd day of April, 1978,

( b ) in so far as it relates to deserted wife's benefit, invalidity pension and retirement pension—on the 6th day of April, 1978, and

( c ) in so far as it relates to old age (contributory) pension, widow's (contributory) pension and orphan's (contributory) allowance—on the 7th day of April, 1978.

Unemployment benefit (increase of certain rates).

15.—(1) Section 5 (2) of the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1967 , is hereby amended by the substitution for the Table thereto (inserted by the Act of 1977 as varied by the Regulations of 1977) of the Table to this section.

(2) This section shall come into operation on the 3rd day of April, 1978.

TABLE

Class of Person	Weekly Rate	Increase for adult dependant (where payable)	Increase for qualified child or for each of two qualified children (where payable)	Increase for each qualified child in excess of two (where payable)
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)
	£	£	£	£
Person entitled to an increase in respect of a qualified child but not entitled to an increase in respect of an adult dependant	11·90	—	3·65	2·75
Any other person	11·75	8·55	3·65	2·75

Extension of definition of "orphan" in Act of 1935 and Act of 1952.

16.—(1) Section 3 (1) of the Act of 1935 and section 2 (1) of the Act of 1952 are hereby amended by the addition to the definition of "orphan" (inserted in the Act of 1935 by the Act of 1952) of the following—

"or

( c ) a qualified child whose mother died while deserted wife's allowance or deserted wife's benefit under the Social Welfare Acts, 1952 to 1978, was payable to her and whose father does not wholly or mainly maintain him;".

(2) This section shall come into operation on the 1st day of April, 1978.

Employment contributions (new rates).

17.—(1) ( a ) The Second Schedule to the Act of 1952 is hereby amended by the substitution, for the rate of contribution specified in each paragraph mentioned in column (1) of the Table to this subsection, of the rate specified in column (2) of that Table opposite that mention in column (1).

( b ) This subsection shall come into operation on the 3rd day of April, 1978.

TABLE

Paragraph of Second Schedule	Rate of Contribution
(1)	(2)
Paragraph 1 (a):	£
(i) in the case of a male employed contributor	2·69
(ii) in the case of a female employed contributor	2·63
Paragraph 1 (b):
(i) in the case of a male employed contributor	4·61
(ii) in the case of a female employed contributor	4·59
Paragraph 2 (a)	2·57
Paragraph 2 (b)	4·47
Paragraph 2A (a)	2·43
Paragraph 2A (b)	4·45
Paragraph 3 (a)	2·14
Paragraph 3 (b)	3·76
Paragraph 3A (a)	2·62
Paragraph 3A (b)	4·87
Paragraph 4 (a)	0·54
Paragraph 4 (b)	0·92
Paragraph 5 (b)	0·92
Paragraph 6 (a)	2·60
Paragraph 6 (b)	4·59
Paragraph 7 (a)	2·74
Paragraph 7 (b)	4·82
Paragraph 8 (a)	2·14
Paragraph 8 (b)	3·76

(2) ( a ) An employment contribution payable at a rate specified in paragraph 1 (a), 2 (a), 2A (a), 3 (a), 3A (a), 6 (a), 7 (a) or 8 (a) of the Second Schedule to the Act of 1952, as amended by subsection (1) of this section, shall be reduced by £1.16, and an employment contribution payable at a rate specified in paragraph 1 (b), 2 (b), 2A (b), 3 (b), 3A (b), 6 (b), 7 (b) or 8 (b) of the Second Schedule to the Act of 1952, as amended by subsection (1) of this section, shall be reduced by £0.34, where the contribution is payable in respect of a period of employment—

(i) for which the, remuneration payable is less than £50 a week, or

(ii) for which no remuneration is payable.

( b ) For the purposes of this subsection, "remuneration" means pecuniary emoluments of an employed contributor which are chargeable to income tax under the Income Tax Act, 1967 , reduced by the amount of any contribution to a superannuation fund or scheme payable by the employed contributor and deductible by the employer from the employed contributor's emoluments, where such contribution is, by virtue of section 222 or 233 of the Income Tax Act, 1967 , or by virtue of section 16 , 17 or 25 of the Finance Act, 1972 , allowable as a deduction from such emoluments for the purposes of assessment under the Income Tax Act, 1967 .

( c ) The Social Welfare (Alteration of Rates of Contributions) Regulations, 1977 ( S.I. No. 374 of 1977 ), are hereby revoked.

( d ) This subsection shall come into operation on the 3rd day of April, 1978.

(3) ( a ) The rates of employment contribution payable under paragraphs 1, 2, 2A 3A, 6 and 7 of he Second Schedule to the Act of 1952, as amended by subsections (1) and (2) of this section, shall be increased by the addition to the rate of contribution specified in each paragraph mentioned in column (1) of the Table to this subsection of the rate specified in column (2) of that Table opposite that mention in column (1).

( b ) This subsection shall apply in the period commencing on the 3rd day of April, 1978, and ending on the 1st day of April, 1979.

TABLE

Paragraph of Second Schedule	Rate of Contribution
(1)	(2)
Paragraph 1 (a):	£
(i) in the case of a male employed contributor	0·10
(ii) in the case of a female employed contributor	0·10
Paragraph 1 (b):
(i) in the case of a male employed contributor	0·21
(ii) in the case of a female employed contributor	0·21
Paragraph 2 (a)	0·10
Paragraph 2 (b)	0·21
Paragraph 2A (a)	0·10
Paragraph 2A (b)	0·21
Paragraph 3A (a)	0·10
Paragraph 3A (b)	0·21
Paragraph 6 (a)	0·10
Paragraph 6 (b)	0·21
Paragraph 7 (a)	0·10
Paragraph 7 (b)	0·21

Voluntary contributions (new rates).

18.—(1) Section 6 of the Act of 1952 is hereby amended by the substitution for subsection (2) (inserted by the Act of 1977) of the following subsection:

"(2) Voluntary contributions shall be weekly contributions which shall be paid by voluntary contributors who are under pensionable age at the rate, in the case both of male voluntary contributors and female voluntary contributors, of—

( a ) £1.46 for each contribution week where, immediately before ceasing to be employed contributors, they were insurably employed in employment in respect of which the employment contributions payable are not reckonable for the purposes of old age (contributory) pension, and

( b ) £3.76 for each contribution week where, immediately before ceasing to be employed contributors, they were insurably employed in employment in respect of which the employment contributions payable are reckonable for the purposes of old age (contributory) pension.".

(2) The weekly rate of voluntary contribution payable by a person to whom section 17 of the Act of 1975 applies shall be £2.30 in the case both of male voluntary contributors and female voluntary contributors.

(3) This section shall come into operation on the 3rd day of April, 1978.

Occupational injuries (new rates of benefits and contributions).

19.—(1) Each rate (inserted by the Act of 1977 as varied by the Regulations of 1977) of occupational injuries benefit in the Act of 1966 mentioned in column (1) of the Table to this section is hereby increased by the substitution for that rate of the rate specified in column (2) of that Table opposite that mention in column (1).

(2) Sections 36 (2) (b) and 36 (3) of the Act of 1966 are hereby amended by the substitution of "19p" for "14p" (inserted by the Act of 1976) and of "16p" for "11p" (inserted by the Act of 1976).

(3) Subject to subsection (4) of this section, this section shall come into operation on the 3rd day of April, 1978.

(4) The increases provided for by subsection (1) of this section, in so far as they relate to sections 17 (2), 18 (2), 18 (3), 19, 20 and 21 (2) of the Act of 1966, shall come into operation on the 7th day of April, 1978.

TABLE

Rate of occupational injuries benefit in the Act of 1966	Increased rate
(1)	(2)
£14·30 in section 8 (3) (a)	£15·70
£18·30 " " 8 (3) (b)	£20·10
£1,260·00 " " 9 (7) (a)	£1,390·00
£18·30 in Table I to section 9 (8)	£20·10
£16·47 " " " " " "	£18·09
£14·64 " " " " " "	£16·08
£12·81 " " " " " "	£14·07
£10·98 " " " " " "	£12·06
£9·15 " " " " " "	£10·05
£7·32 " " " " " "	£8·04
£5·49 " " " " " "	£6·03
£3·66 " " " " " "	£4·02
£14·30 in Table II to section 9 (8)	£15·70
£12·87 " " " " " " "	£14·13
£11·44 " " " " " " "	£12·56
£10·01 " " " " " " "	£10·99
£8·58 " " " " " " "	£9·42
£7·15 " " " " " " "	£7·85
£5·72 " " " " " " "	£6·28
£4·29 " " " " " " "	£4·71
£2·86 " " " " " " "	£3·14
£3·66 in section 9 (9) (b) (ii)	£4·02
£2·86 " " " " " "	£3·14
£8·50 in section 10 (1)	£9·35
£3·75 " " 11 (1)	£4·15
£3·10 " " " "	£3·40
£11·35 in section 12 (1) (a)	£12·50
£13·05 " " 12 (1) (b)	£14·35
£6·90 " " 13 (1)	£7·60
£13·80 " " " "	£15·20
£14·30 " " 15 (1) (a) (i)	£15·70
£18·30 " " 15 (1) (a) (ii)	£20·10
£17·15 " " 17 (2) and 18 (2)	£18·85
£893·00 " " 18 (3)	£982·00
£4·45 " " 19 in each place where it occurs	£4·90
£7·60 " " 20 " " " " " "	£8·35
£17·15 " " " " " " " " "	£18·85
£10·30 " " 21 (2)	£11·30
£100·00 " " 22 in each place where it occurs	£115·00
£2·86 " " 25 (3) (a)	£3·14
£3·66 " " 25 (3) (b)	£4·02

Occupational injuries (special increase for pensioners living alone).

20.—(1) Section 20 (1) of the Act of 1977 is hereby amended by the substitution of "£1.10" for "£1".

(2) This section shall come into operation on the 7th day of April, 1978.

Power to pay old age pension pending certain decisions, on determination of social welfare officer.

21.—Notwithstanding anything in the Old Age Pensions Acts, 1908 to 1978, where a social welfare officer is of the opinion that the statutory conditions for the receipt of old age pension are fulfilled, such pension may be paid at a rate specified by the officer without prejudice to any subsequent decision relating to that pension (or to the rate of the pension) by a local pension committee or by an appeals officer.

Removal of power to recover old age pension overpayments by deduction from payments due to another person.

22.—Section 20 of the Act of 1961, which provides for the recovery of amounts of old age pension overpaid by deduction from payments due to other persons, is hereby repealed.

Short title, construction and collective citation.

23.—(1) This Act may be cited as the Social Welfare Act, 1978 .

(2) This Act—

( a ) in so far as it amends and extends the Old Age Pensions Acts, 1908 to 1977, shall be construed as one with those Acts and may be cited together with them as the Old Age Pensions Acts, 1908 to 1978,

( b ) in so far as it amends and extends the Unemployment Assistance Acts, 1933 to 1977, shall be construed as one with those Acts and may be cited together with them as the Unemployment Assistance Acts, 1933 to 1978,

( c ) in so far as it amends and extends the Widows' and Orphans' Pensions Acts, 1935 to 1977, shall be construed as one with those Acts and may be cited together with them as the Widows' and Orphans' Pensions Acts, 1935 to 1978, and

( d ) in so far as it amends and extends the Social Welfare Acts, 1952 to 1977, shall be construed as one with those Acts and may be cited together with them as the Social Welfare Acts, 1952 to 1978.

ACTS REFERRED TO

Old Age Pensions Act, 1908	1908, c. 40.
Old Age Pensions Act, 1932	1932, No. 18
Unemployment Assistance Act, 1933	1933, No. 46
Widows' and Orphans' Pensions Act, 1935	1935, No. 29.

Social Welfare Act, 1952	1952, No. 11.
Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1960	1960, No. 28.
Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1961	1961, No. 22.
Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1962	1962, No. 17.
Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1965	1965, No. 20.
Social Welfare (Occupational Injuries) Act, 1966	1966, No. 16.
Income Tax Act, 1967	1967, No. 6.
Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1967	1967, No. 18.
Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1969	1969, No. 19.
Social Welfare Act, 1970	1970, No. 12.
Finance Act, 1972	1972, No. 19.
Social Welfare Act, 1973	1973, No. 10.
Social Welfare (No. 2) Act, 1974	1974, No. 14.
Social Welfare Act, 1975	1975, No. 1.
Social Welfare (Supplementary Welfare Allowances) Act, 1975	1975, No. 28.

Social Welfare Act, 1976	1976, No. 6.
Social Welfare (No. 2) Act, 1976	1976, No. 28.
Social Welfare Act, 1977	1977, No. 3.