Unemployment Insurance Act, 1946

Rates of special benefit and limitation on aggregate amount thereof.

6.—(1) (a) Subject to paragraph (b) of this subsection, special benefit payable to any person entitled thereto shall be at the weekly rate which is as respects that person the appropriate weekly rate of unemployment benefit under the British Acts.

(b) Where a person who is entitled to special benefit has a dependant or dependants, within the meaning of the Irish Acts, the weekly rate of special benefit of that person shall be increased by an amount equal to the amount payable under the British Acts as an increase of unemployment benefit but such increase shall, in respect of dependent children, be limited to not more than two.

(2) (a) The aggregate amount of special benefit payable to any one person shall not exceed the amount which could be paid to that person under subsection (1) of this section in respect of a period of one hundred and eighty days.

(b) Where a person entitled to special benefit has, since his discharge from the Forces of the United Kingdom, been paid unemployment benefit in the United Kingdom, then the period of one hundred and eighty days referred to in paragraph (a) of this subsection shall be reduced by the number of days in respect of which unemployment benefit has been so paid.

(3) The Minister may by regulations under this Act reduce the weekly rates fixed by subsection (1) of this section, but such regulations (if made) shall not, in the case of any person, operate to reduce the aggregate amount, referred to in subsection (2) of this section, of special benefit of that person.