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 2005
No. 4 of 2005
Contents
Commencement
| Section | Commencement/Effective Date Where the commencement and effective dates differ, the effective date is shown below.
|
Commencement Information |
|---|---|---|
| Ss. 1-6 | 14 March 2005 | Commenced on enactment |
| S. 7(1) | 3 May 2005 | Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2005 (Section 7 (1)) (Commencement) Order 2005 (S.I. No. 230 of 2005), art. 2 |
| Ss. 7(2)-15 | 14 March 2005 | Commenced on enactment |
| S. 16 | 1 June 2005 | Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2005 (Sections 16, 24, 25 and 26) (Commencement) Order (S.I. No. 182 of 2005), art. 2(a) |
| Ss. 17-23 | 14 March 2005 | Commenced on enactment |
| Ss. 24-25 insofar as they relate to carer's allowance | 7 April 2005 | Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2005 (Sections 16, 24, 25 and 26) (Commencement) Order (S.I. No. 182 of 2005), art. 2(b) |
| Ss. 24-25 insofar as they relate to unemployment assistance, disability allowance pre-retirement allowance and farm assist | 1 June 2005 | Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2005 (Sections 16, 24, 25 and 26) (Commencement) Order (S.I. No. 182 of 2005), art. 2(c) |
| Ss. 24-25 insofar as they relate to old age (non-contributory) pension, blind pension, widow's or widower's (non-contributory) pension, one-parent family payment, orphan's (non-contributory) pension and a relevant payment by virtue of s. 18(1) (b) or (c) of the Social Welfare Act 1996 (No. 7 of 1996) | 2 June 2005 | Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2005 (Sections 16, 24, 25 and 26) (Commencement) Order (S.I. No. 182 of 2005), art. 2(d) |
| Ss. 24-25 insofar as they relate to supplementary welfare allowance | 6 June 2005 | Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2005 (Sections 16, 24, 25 and 26) (Commencement) Order (S.I. No. 182 of 2005), art. 2(e) |
| S. 26 | 11 April 2005 | Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2005 (Sections 16, 24, 25 and 26) (Commencement) Order (S.I. No. 182 of 2005), art. 2(f) |
| Ss. 27-37 | 23 September 2005 | Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2005 (Part 3) (Commencement) Order 2005 (S.I. No. 591 of 2005), art. 2 |
| Ss. 38, 39 | 11 April 2005 | Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2005 (Sections 38 & 39) (Commencement) Order, 2005 (S.I. No. 187 of 2005), 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Act (ss. 27-39) included in collectively cited Pensions Acts | S. 1(3) | ||
| Repealed in part with transitional provisions | 26/2005, ss. 360(1), 360(2), 361, 362, 364(1), schedule 7 | 1 December 2005 | Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (Commencement) Order 2005 (S.I. No. 923 of 2005), art. 2 |
| S. 7 reference to "Respite Care Grant" construed | 47/2015, ss. 5(2), 5(3) | 1 January 2016 | S. 5(2) |
| Sch. 5 references to “Pensions Board” construed | 25/1990, s. 9A (see 20/2013, ss. 1(5), 26) | 7 March 2014 | Social Welfare and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2013 (Sections 22(b), 26, 27, 28, 29 and 34) (Commencement) Order 2014 (S.I. No. 103 of 2014), art. 2 |
SIs made under the Act
| Section | SIs made under the Act |
|---|---|
| None |