Social Welfare Act, 2001

Improvement in qualifying conditions.

20.—The Principal Act is amended by—

(a) the substitution in section 32(1) (as amended by section 17 of the Act of 1997) for paragraph (b) of the following paragraph:

“(b) (i) that the claimant has qualifying contributions or credited contributions in respect of not less than 39 contribution weeks, of which at least 13 must be qualifying contributions, in the last complete contribution year before the beginning of the benefit year which includes the day for which the benefit is claimed, or

(ii) that the claimant has qualifying contributions in respect of not less than 26 contribution weeks in each of the last two complete contribution years before the beginning of the benefit year which includes the day for which the benefit is claimed,

and”,

(b) the substitution in subparagraph (a)(i) of section 38 (inserted by section 10 of the Act of 1997) for clause (B) of the following clause:

“(B) (I) 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 in which the relevant day occurs or in a subsequent complete contribution year before the relevant day, or

(II) that the claimant has qualifying contributions in respect of not less than 26 contribution weeks in each of the last two complete contribution years before the beginning of the benefit year in which the relevant day occurs,

or”,

(c) the substitution in subparagraph (a)(ii) of section 41B(1) (inserted by Article 6 of the European Communities (Social Welfare) Regulations, 1995 ( S.I. No. 25 of 1995 )) for clause (B) of the following clause:

“(B) (I) 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 first day for which health and safety benefit is claimed, or

(II) that the claimant has qualifying contributions in respect of not less than 26 contribution weeks in each of the last two complete contribution years before the beginning of the benefit year which includes the first day for which health and safety benefit is claimed,

and”,

(d) the substitution in subparagraph (a)(i) of section 41H(1) (inserted by section 11 of the Act of 1997) for clause (B) of the following clause:

“(B) (I) 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 in which the relevant day occurs or in a subsequent complete contribution year before the relevant day, or

(II) that the claimant has qualifying contributions in respect of not less than 26 contribution weeks in each of the last two complete contribution years before the beginning of the benefit year in which the relevant day occurs,

or”, and

(e) the substitution in section 43(1) (as amended by section 8 of the Social Welfare (No. 2) Act, 1993 ) for paragraph (b) of the following paragraph:

“(b) (i) 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, or

(ii) that the claimant has qualifying contributions in respect of not less than 26 contribution weeks in each of the last two complete contribution years before the beginning of the benefit year which includes the day for which the benefit is claimed,

and”.