S.I. No. 391 of 2003

SOCIAL WELFARE (CONSOLIDATED CONTRIBUTIONS AND INSURABILITY) (AMENDMENT) (NO. 1) (CREDITED CONTRIBUTIONS) REGULATIONS, 2003.

The Minister for Social and Family Affairs, in exercise of the powers conferred on her by sections 4 (as amended by section 12 of the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2002 ( section 24 of the Social Welfare Act, 1996 ( No. 7 of 1996 )) of No. 27 of 1993 ), hereby makes the following Regulations:

Citation and construction.

1. (1)  These Regulations may be cited as the Social Welfare (Consolidated Contributions and Insurability) (Amendment) (No. 1) (Credited Contributions) Regulations, 2003.

(2)  These Regulations and the Social Welfare (Consolidated Contributions and Insurability) Regulations, 1996 to 2003 shall be construed together as one and may be cited as the Social Welfare (Consolidated Contributions and Insurability) Regulations, 1996 to 2003.

Credited contributions.

2.  Article 66 of the Social Welfare (Consolidated Contributions and Insurability) Regulations, 1996 ( S.I. No. 312 of 1996 )) is amended by substituting the following for paragraph (b):

“ (b) be a day of proven unemployment unless that day is a day of unemployment within the meaning of section 42 (4) (a).”.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.)

Regulations currently provide that an employment contribution shall be credited to an insured person in respect of a day of proven unemployment. For the purposes of such credited contributions a day is not treated as a day of unemployment unless a person proves that s/he is capable of work and available for employment, unless otherwise exempted.

These Regulations provide that in addition to the above, a person must now also prove that s/he is genuinely seeking work in order to qualify for credited employment contributions.

These Regulations ensure that job-seeking requirements are now the same for all on the live register.