Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005

Rates of optional contributions and related matters.

[1993 (No.2) s4; 2004 s6(1)]

29.—(1) Optional contributions shall be payable by optional contributors in accordance with the following provisions:

(a) subject to paragraph (b), an optional contributor shall pay an optional contribution of the greater of an amount equal to 4 per cent of his or her reckonable income in excess of €2,500 in the preceding contribution year, or €200;

(b) an optional contribution shall not be payable in respect of so much (if any) of the reckonable income of an optional contributor in any contribution year which exceeds €44,180.

[1993 (No.2) s4]

(2) Subject to regulations under section 30 , where an optional contribution has been paid by an optional contributor of not less than the amount that he or she is liable to pay under subsection (1), he or she shall be regarded as having paid contributions for each contribution week in that contribution year and, where the contribution paid is less than that appropriate amount, no contribution shall be regarded as having been paid by the optional contributor in respect of any week of that contribution year.

[1993 (No.2) s4; 2001 s37 & Sch F]

(3) Regulations may provide for adjustments in the calculation of amounts payable in respect of optional contributions to facilitate computation and for the elimination from optional contributions of amounts of not more than 5 cent and for the rounding up of amounts of more than 5 cent but less than 10 cent to 10 cent.

[1993 (No.2) s4]

(4)  (a) Subject to paragraph (b), optional contributions shall be disregarded in determining whether the contribution conditions for any benefit other than disability benefit, unemployment benefit or treatment benefit are satisfied.

(b) The contribution conditions for the benefits referred to in paragraph (a) shall not be regarded as being satisfied unless all optional contributions payable by an optional contributor in accordance with this Chapter have been paid.