The Social Security (Ireland) Order 2007

This Order is made under the powers in section 179(1)(a) and (2) of the Social Security Administration Act 19921, which provide that, for the purpose of giving effect to agreements made with the governments of countries outside the United Kingdom providing for reciprocity in specified matters, Her Majesty may by Order in Council make provision for modifying and adapting specified legislation in its application to cases affected by such agreements.

At Dublin, on 14th December 2004, a Convention on Social Security between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of Ireland2 was signed on behalf of those Governments. This Convention, which is referred to in this Order as “the Convention”, provides for earlier Agreements between the Parties concerning reciprocity in the field of social security and their extension and modification to be consolidated into a new convention, with further extensions and modifications and taking account of changes in legislation.

The provisions of the Convention were modified by an Exchange of Notes between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of Ireland on 3rd July 2007 which specify that the amendments to the Convention shall enter into force at the same time as the Convention.

Article 37 of the Convention provides that the Convention shall enter into force on the first day of the third month following the month in which the instruments of ratification are exchanged.

Instruments of ratification were exchanged on behalf of the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of Ireland on 3rd July 2007. The Convention and the amendments to the Convention therefore enter into force on 1st October 2007.