PART I.

Preliminary and General.

1. —(1) This Act may be cited as the Social Welfare Act, 1948.

(2) The Old Age Pensions Acts, 1908 to 1938, and Part II of this Act may be cited together as the Old Age Pensions Acts, 1908 to 1948.

(3) The National Health Insurance Acts, 1911 to 1947, and Part III of this Act may be cited together as the National Health Insurance Acts, 1911 to 1948.

(4) The Unemployment Insurance Acts, 1920 to 1946, and Part IV of this Act may be cited together as the Unemployment Insurance Acts, 1920 to 1948.

(5) The Unemployment Assistance Acts, 1933 to 1940, and Part V of this Act may be cited together as the Unemployment Assistance Acts, 1933 to 1948.

(6) The Windows' and Orphans' Pensions Acts, 1935 to 1947, and Part VI of this Act may be cited together as the Windows' and Orphans' Pensions Acts, 1935 to 1948.

2. —In this Act—

the expression “the Minister” means the Minister for Social Welfare;

the expression “the Order of 1947” means the Social Welfare Schemes (Cash Supplements) Order, 1947 (S. R. & O., No. 76 of 1947), as amended by the Social Welfare Schemes (Cash Supplements) Order, 1947 (First Amendment) Order, 1947 (S. R. & O., No. 307 of 1947), and the Social Welfare Schemes (Cash Supplements) Order, 1947 (Second Amendment) Order, 1947 (S. R. & O., No. 366 of 1947).

3. —(1) The enactments mentioned in column (2) of any Part of the First Schedule to this Act are hereby repealed to the extent specified in column (3) of that Part and as on and from the respective dates specified in column (4) of that Part.

(2) The Orders mentioned in column (2) of the Second Schedule to this Act are hereby revoked.

4. —No payment shall be made under any provision of the Order of 1947 mentioned in column (2) of the Third Schedule to this Act at any reference number in respect of any week or day later than the week or day (as the case may be) specified in column (3) of the said Schedule at that reference number.