Amendments Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, are related and may be discussed together. Is that agreed? Agreed.
Social Welfare and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages
SECTION 1
Government amendment No. 1:
In page 5, to delete lines 23 and 24 and substitute the following:
“(2) The Social Welfare Acts and this Act (other than subsection (5) and Chapter 2 of Part 4) shall be construed together as one Act.”.
Amendment No. 1 is a technical amendment to the construction of the Bill, as provided for in section 1 of the Bill, and is consequential on amendment No. 2, which inserts a new Part 3 into the Act. Amendment No. 2 is the substantive amendment, which provides for the earlier implementation of the extension of child benefit to 18 year olds who are in full-time education and who have a disability. I announced that in budget 2024. It was planned to implement it from 1 September, but I have been able to bring that forward and we will bring it into effect from 1 May. That means the parents of any child in receipt of child benefit who continues in full-time education until they reach the age of 19 will get the child benefit. That also applies to children who have a disability. Amendment No. 3 is a technical amendment to the Long Title of the Bill and is consequential on amendment No. 1.
I welcome the Bill. It has the full support of the Fianna Fáil Party. It is great that social welfare payments will be extended to children aged 18 who are still living at home and in full-time education. That will be of huge benefit across the country and it is one of the main points of this legislation.
Amendment agreed to.
Section 1, as amended, agreed to.
Sections 2 to 8, inclusive, agreed to.
NEW SECTION
Government amendment No. 2:
In page 8, after line 35, to insert the following:
“PART 3
AMENDMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE (MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS) ACT 2023
Amendment of Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023
9. Section 13 of the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023 is amended, in subsection (2), by the substitution of “1 May” for “3 September”.”.
Amendment agreed to.
Sections 9 and 10 agreed to.
TITLE
Government amendment No. 3:
In page 5, line 13, after “relatives;” to insert “to amend the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023;”.
Amendment agreed to.
Title, as amended, agreed to.
Bill reported with amendments.
When is it proposed to take Report Stage?
Now.
Is that agreed? Agreed.
Bill, as amended, received for final consideration.
When is it proposed to take Fifth Stage?
Now.
Is that agreed? Agreed.
Question, "That the Bill do now pass", put and declared carried.
Cuireadh an Seanad ar fionraí ar 12.52 p.m. agus cuireadh tús leis arís ar 2.30 p.m.
Sitting suspended at 12.52 p.m. and resumed at 2.30 p.m.