E1

The following chapter headings were not the subject of specific amendment by Social Welfare Law Reform and Pensions Act 2006 (5/2006), ss. 4(1), 17, schs. 1 and 3—

(a) "Disability Benefit", immediately before s. 40;

(b) "Unemployment Benefit", immediately before s. 62;

(c) "Old Age (Contributory) Pension", immediately before s. 108;

(d) "Retirement Pension", immediately before s. 114;

(e) "Orphan’s (Contributory) Allowance", immediately before s. 130;

(f) "Unemployment Assistance", immediately before s. 140;

(g) "State Pension (Non-Contributory)", immediately before s. 152;

nor were the following chapter headings amended by Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner’s Pension and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2025 (8/2025)—

(h) "Widow’s (Contributory) Pension or Widower’s (Contributory) Pension)", immediately before s. 123;

(i) "Widow’s (Non-Contributory) Pension, Widower’s( Non-Contributory) Pension and Orphan’s (Non-Contributory) Pension", immediately before s. 162.

This was presumably because of Interpretation Act 2005 (23/2005), s. 18(g), which provides that—

Marginal and shoulder notes, etc. Subject to section 7, none of the following shall be taken to be part of the enactment or be construed or judicially noticed in relation to the construction or interpretation of the enactment:

(i) a marginal note placed at the side, or a shoulder note placed at the beginning, of a section or other provision to indicate the subject, contents or effect of the section or provision,

(ii) a heading or cross-line placed in or at the head of or at the beginning of a Part, Chapter, section, or other provision or group of sections or provisions to indicate the subject, contents or effect of the Part, Chapter, section, provision or group;

To assist with the intelligibility of this Revised Act these chapter heading have, nonetheless, been changed to what appears above. This Editorial Decision was taken—

1. To avoid the confusion which would result from leaving the headings unchanged, when—

(a) the terms—

• “illness benefit” had been substituted for “disability benefit”;

• “jobseeker’s benefit” had been substituted for “unemployment  benefit”;

• “State pension (contributory)” had been substituted for “old age (contributory) pension”;

• “State pension (transition)” had been substituted for “retirement pension”;

• “guardian’s payment (contributory)” had been substituted for “orphan’s (contributory) allowance”;

• “jobseeker’s allowance” had been substituted for “unemployment assistance”;

• “State pension (non-contributory)” had been substituted for “old age (non-contributory) pension”;

• “guardian’s payment (non-contributory)” had been substituted for “orphan’s (non-contributory) pension”;

by Social Welfare Law Reform and Pensions Act 2006 (5/2006), ss. 4(1), 17, schs. 1 and 3, and by Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023 (37/2023), ss. 10 and 16, in all other instances where those second-mentioned terms were used in Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (26/2005);

(b) the terms—

• “bereaved partner’s (contributory) pension” had been substituted for “widow’s (contributory) pension, widower’s (contributory) pension, surviving civil partner’s (contributory) pension”;

• “bereaved partner’s (non-contributory) pension” had been substituted for “widow’s (non-contributory) pension, widower’s (non-contributory) pension or surviving civil partner’s (non-contributory) pension”;

by Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner’s Pension and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2025 (8/2025), s. 17, in all other instances where those second-mentioned terms were used in Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (26/2005).

2. Having regard to the following stipulations in Social Welfare Law Reform and Pensions Act 2006 (5/2006), ss. 4(2), 4(3), 4(4), 4(6), 4(7) and 4(8)—

Renaming of certain social welfare schemes.

4.—(1) ...

(2) Every reference in any Act or in any instrument made under any Act to disability benefit shall be read as a reference to illness benefit.

(3) Every reference in any Act or in any instrument made under any Act to old age (contributory) pension shall be read as a reference to State pension (contributory).

(4) Every reference in any Act or in any instrument made under any Act to orphan’s (contributory) allowance shall be read as a reference to guardian’s payment (contributory).

(5) ...

(6) Every reference in any Act or in any instrument made under any Act to retirement pension shall be read as a reference to State pension (transition).

(7) Every reference in any Act or in any instrument made under any Act to unemployment benefit shall be read as a reference to jobseeker’s benefit.

(8) Every reference in any Act or in any instrument made under any Act to unemployment assistance shall be read as a reference to jobseeker’s allowance.