Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1993

Conditions for receipt.

[1991, s. 19(1)]

43.—(1) The contribution conditions for unemployment benefit are—

(a) that the claimant has qualifying contributions in respect of not less than 39 contribution weeks in the period between his entry into insurance and the day for which the benefit is claimed,

(b) that the claimant has qualifying contributions or credited contributions in respect of not less than 39 contribution weeks in the last complete contribution year before the beginning of the benefit year which includes the day for which the benefit is claimed, and

(c) that the claimant has prescribed reckonable weekly earnings in excess of a prescribed amount in a prescribed period.

[1987, ss. 8(4), 8(6)(d)]

(2) In the case of any claim for unemployment benefit where the period of interruption of employment commenced before the 6th day of April, 1987, subsection (1)(a) shall be construed as if “26” were substituted for “39”.

[1981, s. 30(2)]

(3) Where a person under 65 years of age has been entitled to payment of unemployment benefit in respect of any day or would but for the provisions of section 42(3), 47(1) or 47(4) have been so entitled then, as respects unemployment benefit, the benefit year which includes the 1st such day in every period of interruption of employment, which is, or is deemed to be, a separate period of interruption of employment, shall, for the purpose of the condition contained in subsection (1)(b), be regarded as continuing so long as the period of interruption of employment continues.

[1981, s. 30(3)]

(4) Regulations may provide for modifications of the contribution conditions set out in subsection (1).

[1991, s. 19(1)]

(5) Subject to subsection (6), regulations may provide for entitling to unemployment benefit persons who would be entitled thereto but for the fact that the condition set out in subsection (1)(c) is not satisfied.

[1991, s. 19(1)]

(6) Regulations for the purposes of subsection (5) shall provide that benefit payable by virtue thereof shall be payable at a rate less than that specified in the Second Schedule, and the rate specified by the regulations may vary with the extent to which the condition set out in subsection (1)(c) is satisfied.