(1) In this Act, "couple" means - (a) two persons married to each other, (b) a man and woman who are not married to each other but are cohabiting as husband and wife, or (c) two persons of the same sex who are cohabiting in domestic circumstances comparable to that of a man and woman who are not married to each other but are cohabiting as husband and wife, who are habitually living together at the date of the making of an application for State support by either or both of them or at the date of the commencement of the provision of care services to either or both of them.

(2) For the purposes of this section -

(a) a couple referred to in paragraph (b) of subsection (1) shall not be considered as habitually living together unless they have been cohabiting in the manner referred to in that paragraph,

(b) a couple referred to in paragraph (c) of subsection (1) shall not be considered as habitually living together unless they have been cohabiting in the manner referred to in that paragraph,