Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005

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Social Insurance Fund — expenditure on benefit.

[2000 s29(a)]

7.—(1) Benefit shall be paid or provided for out of the Social Insurance Fund.

(2) A reference to benefit in section 6 and this section includes:

(a) the benefits described in section 39 ,

(b) a relevant payment within the meaning of section 178 (1)(a),

(c) schemes administered by the Minister and known as—

(i) Free Fuel Allowance,

(ii) Free Electricity Allowance,

(iii) Free Television Licence,

(iv) Free Telephone Rental Allowance,

(v) Free Natural Gas Allowance, and

(vi) Free Bottled Gas Allowance,

where those allowances are payable in respect of a person in receipt of a benefit under section 39 (1) or a relevant payment within the meaning of section 178 (1)(a),

(d) a payment under regulations made under section 138 in respect of dental treatment or optical treatment and appliances which would have been payable in respect of a person but for the fact that the person availed of a service in respect of dental treatment or optical treatment and appliances under sections 45 and 67 of the Health Act 1970 ,

(e) any benefit to which section 39 (1) refers which would have been payable in respect of a person but for the receipt by that person of old age (non-contributory) pension,

(f) any increase in any benefit to which section 39 (1) refers which would have been payable in respect of a person, but for the receipt by that person of an old age (non-contributory) pension in his or her own right, and

(g) unemployment benefit which would have been payable in respect of a person but for the receipt by that person of unemployment assistance.

(3) Benefit to be paid or provided for out of the Social Insurance Fund shall include such sums as the Minister may estimate on the basis that may be agreed on between the Minister and the Minister for Finance in respect of the benefits set out in subsection (2)(c), (d), (e), (f) and (g).

(4) There shall be paid out of the Social Insurance Fund—

(a) to the Minister for Health and Children the sum agreed between the Minister and the Minister for Finance in respect of the benefit set out in subsection (2)(d), and

(b) to the Exchequer in respect of the sums agreed between the Minister and the Minister for Finance in respect of the benefits set out in subsection (2)(c), (e), (f) and (g),

in the manner and at the times the Minister may determine.