Updated to 18 February 2026 (Act No. 1 of 2026 and S.I. No. 54 of 2026)
All effects below are reflected in the most recent Revised Act.
Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2008
No. 2 of 2008
Contents
Commencement
| Section | Commencement/Effective Date Where the commencement and effective dates differ, the effective date is shown below.
|
Commencement Information |
|---|---|---|
| Ss. 1, 2 | 7 March 2008 | Commenced on enactment |
| S. 3 | 1 April 2008 | S. 3(2) |
| S. 4 | 7 March 2008 | Commenced on enactment |
| S. 5 | Not yet commenced. Requires commencement order under s. 1(6) | |
| Ss. 6, 7 | 7 March 2008 | Commenced on enactment |
| S. 8 | 8 May 2008 | S. 8(3) |
| S. 9 | 5 June 2008 | S. 9(2) |
| S. 10 | 1 June 2005 | S. 10(2) |
| S. 11 | 7 March 2008 | Commenced on enactment |
| Ss. 12-14 | Not yet commenced. Requires commencement order under s. 1(6) | |
| S. 15 | 1 April 2009 | Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2008 (Sections 15 and 16)(Commencement) Order, 2009 (S.I. No. 143 of 2009), art. 2 |
| Ss. 16(a)-16(b) | 1 April 2009 | Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2008 (Sections 15 and 16)(Commencement) Order, 2009 (S.I. No. 143 of 2009), art. 2 |
| S. 16(c) | 2 June 2010 | Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2008 (Section 16(c)) (Commencement) Order 2010 (S.I. No. 246 of 2010), art. 2 |
| S. 16(d)-(i) | 1 April 2009 | Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2008 (Sections 15 and 16)(Commencement) Order, 2009 (S.I. No. 143 of 2009), art. 2 |
| Ss. 17(1), 17(2), 17(3), 17(4) | 1 September 2009 | Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2008 (Section 17) (Commencement) Order 2009 (S.I. No. 347 of 2009), art. 2 |
| S. 17(5) | Not yet commenced. Requires commencement order under s. 1(6) | |
| S. 18(1) | 7 March 2008 | Commenced on enactment |
| S. 18(2), sch. 1 | 1 October 2011 | Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2008 (Sections 18(2), 18(3) and 18(4)) (Commencement) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 496 of 2011), art. 2 |
| Ss. 18(3)-18(4) | 1 October 2011 | Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2008 (Sections 18(2), 18(3) and 18(4)) (Commencement) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 496 of 2011), art. 2 |
| Ss. 19-25 | 7 March 2008 | Commenced on enactment |
| S. 26 | 14 April 2008 | Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2008 (Sections 26, 29, 30 and 31) (Commencement) Order 2008 (S.I. No. 84 of 2008), art. 2 |
| Commenced on enactment (7 March 2008) | ||
| S. 27 other than in so far as it relates to insertion of Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (26/2005), s. 64P | 1 November 2008 | Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2008 (Section 27) (Commencement) (No. 2) Order 2008 (S.I. No. 398 of 2008) |
| S. 27 in so far as it relates to insertion of Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (26/2005), s. 64P | Not yet commenced. Requires commencement order under s. 1(6) | |
| S. 27 | 1 November 2008 | Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2008 (Section 27) (Commencement) Order 2008 (S.I. No. 277 of 2008). Note: this order was revoked by S.I. No. 398 of 2008, art. 4 on 8 October 2008 |
| S. 28 | 1 February 2010 | Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2008 (Section 28) (Commencement) Order 2009 (S.I. No. 506 of 2009), art. 2 |
| S. 29 (1) | 14 April 2008 | Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2008 (Sections 26, 29, 30 and 31) (Commencement) Order 2008 (S.I. No. 84 of 2008), art. 2 |
| S. 29(2), sch. 2 | 14 April 2008 | Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2008 (Sections 26, 29, 30 and 31) (Commencement) Order 2008 (S.I. No. 84 of 2008), art. 2 |
| Ss. 30-31 | 14 April 2008 | Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2008 (Sections 26, 29, 30 and 31) (Commencement) Order 2008 (S.I. No. 84 of 2008), art. 2 |
| Sch. 1 | 1 October 2011 | Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2008 (Sections 18(2), 18(3) and 18(4)) (Commencement) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 496 of 2011), art. 2 |
| Sch. 2 | 14 April 2008 | Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2008 (Sections 26, 29, 30 and 31) (Commencement) Order 2008 (S.I. No. 84 of 2008), art. 2 |
Amendments and other effects
| How Affected | Affecting Provision | Affecting Provision Commencement/Effective Date
Where the commencement and effective dates differ, the effective date is shown below.
|
Commencement Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| S. 5 repealed | Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2014 (No. 16 of 2014) s. 21(b) | 17 July 2014 | Commenced on enactment |
| S. 9 reference to "Respite Care Grant" construed | 47/2015, ss. 5(2), 5(3) | 1 January 2016 | Commenced as per s. 5(2) |
| S. 12 reference to "Respite Care Grant" construed | 47/2015, ss. 5(2), 5(3) | 1 January 2016 | Commenced as per s. 5(2) |
| S. 12 references to “family income supplement” construed as a reference to “working family payment” | 38/2017, s. 8(2) | 1 January 2018 | Commenced as per s. 8(3) |
| S. 12(a) amended | Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2014 (No. 16 of 2014) s. 12(1)(a) | 17 July 2014 | Commenced on enactment |
| S. 12(d) repealed | Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2008 (No. 22 of 2008), s. 23(2) | 17 December 2008 | Commenced on enactment |
| S. 13(e) amended | Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2014 (No. 16 of 2014) s. 12(1)(b) | 17 July 2014 | Commenced on enactment |
| S. 18(2) repealed in part | Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 (No. 9 of 2011), ss. 1(3), 10(6) | 1 October 2011 | Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 (Section 10) (Commencement) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 494 of 2011), art. 2 |
| S. 19 reference to "Respite Care Grant" construed | 47/2015, ss. 5(2), 5(3) | 1 January 2016 | S. 5(2) |
| S. 24 references to “family income supplement” construed as a reference to “working family payment” | 38/2017, s. 8(2) | 1 January 2018 | Commenced as per s. 8(3) |
| S. 29 references to the Financial Services Ombudsman, the Deputy Financial Services Ombudsman or the Pensions Ombudsman shall, on and after the establishment day, be construed as Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman | 22/2017, s. 29(3) | 1 January 2018 | Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Act 2017 (Commencement) Order 2017 (S.I. No. 524 of 2017), art. 2 |
| Sch. 1 references to “family income supplement” construed as a reference to “working family payment” | 38/2017, s. 8(2) | 1 January 2018 | Commenced as per s. 8(3) |
| Sch. 1 amended | Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2010 (No. 37 of 2010), ss. 11(2), 11(3) | 1 October 2011 | Commenced on enactment |
SIs made under the Act
| Section | SIs made under the Act |
|---|---|
| None |