Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1:

In page 3, between lines 7 and 8, to insert the following:

“PART 1

PRELIMINARY AND GENERAL

Short title, construction and commencement

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

(2) The Social Welfare Acts, Part 2 and Chapter 1 of Part 3 shall be construed together as one Act.

(3) Part 2 shall come into operation on such day or days as the Minister may by order or orders appoint either generally or with reference to any particular purpose or provision and different days may be so appointed for different purposes or different provisions.

(4) Chapter 1 of Part 3 shall come into operation on such day or days as the Minister may, following consultation with the Minister for Justice and the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, by order or orders appoint either generally or with reference to any particular purpose or provision and different days may be so appointed for different purposes or different provisions.

(5) Chapter 2 of Part 3 shall come into operation on such day or days as the Minister for Justice may, following consultation with the Minister and the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, by order or orders appoint either generally or with reference to any particular purpose or provision and different days may be so appointed for different purposes or different provisions.”.

This amendment provides for a restructuring of the Bill that is consequential on amendments Nos. 4 and 5. Following the amendments I am bringing forward today, Part 2 of the Bill will include the provisions as set out in the Bill as initiated, that is, it will provide for the removal of the liable relative provisions from social welfare legislation and change the means test such that child maintenance payments will no longer be assessed as means. The substantive amendments I am bringing forward, namely, Nos. 4 and 5, are being inserted into a new Part 3.