(1) The Principal Act is amended -

(a) by substituting the following for section 153:

"153. Entitlement to pension.

 Subject to this Act, a person shall be entitled to State pension (non-contributory) where-

(a) the person has attained pensionable age,

(b) the means of the person as calculated in accordance with the Rules contained in Part 3 of Schedule 3 do not exceed the appropriate highest amount of means at which pension may be paid to that person in accordance with section 156, and

(c) the person is habitually resident in the State at the date of the making of the application for State pension (non-contributory).";

(b) by deleting sections 154 and 155;

(c) by substituting the following for section 156:

"156. Rate of pension and increase for qualified child.

(1) Subject to section 159, the rate (in this Chapter referred to as ‘the scheduled rate’) of State pension (non-contributory) shall be the weekly rate set out in column (2) at reference 4 in Part 1 of Schedule 4 increased by the appropriate amount set out in column (4) of that Part in respect of each qualified child who normally resides with the claimant or beneficiary.

(2)