S.I. No. 328/1989:

SOCIAL WELFARE (AVAILABILITY FOR EMPLOYMENT) REGULATIONS, 1989.

SOCIAL WELFARE (AVAILABILITY FOR EMPLOYMENT) REGULATIONS, 1989.

The Minister for Social Welfare in exercise of the powers conferred on him by section 3 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1981 (No. 1 of 1981 ) and sections 29 and 138 of that Act, (as amended by the Social Welfare Act, 1989 (No. 4 of 1989)) hereby makes the following Regulations:--

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Social Welfare (Availability for Employment) Regulations, 1989.

2. In these Regulations:--

"activity" means participation by a person aged 21 years or over in a course of education approved by the Minister as being at second level at a centre approved by the Minister in consultation with the Minister for Education leading to a certificate recognised by the Minister for Education.

"continuous period of unemployment" shall be construed in accordance with section 135 (2) of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1981 .

3. These regulations shall apply to a person who is participating in an activity where, in the continuous period of unemployment in which he commences such activity, he has been in receipt of unemployment assistance or unemployment benefit and unemployment assistance for a period of not less than 390 days.

4. Subject to article 5 a person to whom article 3 of these regulations applies shall, for the purposes of entitlement to unemployment assistance be deemed to be available for employment on any day on which he is participating in an activity.

5. A person shall not be deemed to be available for employment under these regulations in respect of any day unless he has given prior notification to the Minister of his intention to participate in the activity.

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for Social Welfare

this 11th day of December 1989.

MICHAEL WOODS,

Minister for Social Welfare.

The Minister for Finance hereby sanctions the foregoing Regulations.

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for Finance this 11th day of December 1989.

ALBERT REYNOLDS,

Minister for Finance.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These Regulations enable long-term unemployed persons aged 21 years or over to continue to receive unemployment assistance while participating in a full-time course of second level education.