PART 1

PRELIMINARY AND GENERAL

1 .— (1) This Act may be cited as the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2008.

(2) The Social Welfare Acts and Parts 1 and 2 shall be read together as one.

(3) The Civil Registration Acts 2004 and 2005 and section 25 may be cited together as the Civil Registration Acts 2004 to 2008.

(4) The Pensions Acts 1990 to 2008 and section 24 may be cited together as the Pensions Acts 1990 to 2008.

(5) The Citizens Information Acts 2000 and 2007 and Part 4 may be cited together as the Citizens Information Acts 2000 to 2008.

(6) Sections 8 , 22 , 24 , 26 to 29 and Part 5 shall come into operation on such day or days as the Minister may appoint by order or orders either generally or with reference to any particular purpose or provision, and different days may be so appointed for different purposes or different provisions.

2 .— In this Act—

“ Act of 2006 ” means the Social Welfare Law Reform and Pensions Act 2006 ;

“ Act of 2007 ” means the Social Welfare Act 2007 ;

“ Act of 2008 ” means the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2008 ;

“ Minister ” means the Minister for Social and Family Affairs;

“ Principal Act ” means the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 .