PART I

Preliminary

1. —(1) This Act may be cited as the Social Welfare Act, 1997.

(2) The Social Welfare Acts and this Act (other than Parts VIII, IX and X) shall be construed together as one.

2. —In this Act—

“the Principal Act” means the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1993 ;

“the Act of 1994” means the Social Welfare Act, 1994 ;

“the Act of 1995” means the Social Welfare Act, 1995;

“the No. 2 Act of 1995” means the Social Welfare (No. 2) Act, 1995;

“the Act of 1996” means the Social Welfare Act, 1996.