S.I. No. 689/2024 - Social Welfare (Jobseeker’s Pay-Related Benefit) Regulations 2024

Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of 13th December, 2024.

I, HEATHER HUMPHREYS, Minister for Social Protection, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by sections 4 (amended by reference 1 of the Schedule to the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024 (No. 24 of 2024)) and 68KF (inserted by section 13 of the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024 (No. 24 of 2024)) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (No. 26 of 2005), hereby make the following Regulations:

Citation and construction

1. (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Social Welfare (Jobseeker’s Pay-Related Benefit) Regulations 2024.

(2) These Regulations and the Social Welfare (Consolidated Claims, Payments and Control) (Amendment) (No. 15) (Jobseeker’s Pay-Related Benefit) Regulations 2024 shall be construed together as one and may be cited together as Social Welfare (Consolidated Claims, Payments and Control) (Amendment) (No. 15) (Jobseeker’s Pay-Related Benefit) Regulations 2024.

Commencement

2. These Regulations come into operation on 31 March 2025.

Jobseeker’s Pay-Related Benefit

3. The Social Welfare (Consolidated Claims, Payments and Control) (Amendment) (No. 15) (Jobseeker’s Pay-Related Benefit) Regulations 2024 (No. 635 of 2024) are amended in article 5(b) by the substitution of the following:

“Duration

52HJ. (1) For the purposes of section 68KF(3) the following shall apply:

(a) the number of weeks prescribed for the purposes of section 68KF(3) shall be 13, and this may include weeks where the person is in receipt of jobseeker’s benefit, jobseeker’s benefit (self-employed) or jobseeker’s allowance.

(b) in relation to a person entitled to payment of jobseeker’s pay-related benefit, any 2 or more consecutive applicable weeks separated by such number of weeks that they are –

(i) in receipt of maternity benefit,

(ii) in receipt of paternity benefit,

(iii) in receipt of parent’s benefit,

(iv) in receipt of adoptive benefit,

(v) in receipt of health and safety benefit,

(vi) in receipt of carer’s benefit,

(vii) in receipt of illness benefit,

(viii) in receipt of injury benefit,

(ix) taking additional maternity leave in accordance with the Maternity Protection Act 2024,

(x) taking such other statutory entitlement to leave or benefit as may be approved by or on behalf of the Minister from time to time,

shall be treated as the same claim.”

for

“Duration

52HJ. (1) For the purposes of section 68KF(3) the following shall apply:

(a) the number of weeks prescribed for the purposes of section 68KF(3) shall be 13, and this may include weeks where the person is in receipt of jobseeker’s benefit, jobseeker’s benefit (self-employed) or jobseeker’s allowance.

(b) in relation to a person entitled to payment of jobseeker’s pay-related benefit, any 2 or more consecutive applicable weeks separated by such number of weeks that they are –

(i) in receipt of maternity benefit,

(ii) in receipt of paternity benefit,

(iii) in receipt of parent’s benefit,

(iv) in receipt of adoptive benefit,

(v) in receipt of health and safety benefit,

(vi) in receipt of carer’s benefit,

(vii) in receipt of illness benefit,

(viii) in receipt of injury benefit,

(ix) taking additional maternity leave in accordance with the Maternity Protection Act 2024,

(x) taking such other statutory entitlement to leave or benefit as may be approved by or on behalf of the Minister from time to time,

(xi) shall be treated as the same claim.”.

GIVEN under my Official Seal,

11 December, 2024.

HEATHER HUMPHREYS,

Minister for Social Protection.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

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

These Regulations make a technical amendment to correct a numbering error in the Social Welfare (Consolidated Claims, Payments and Control) (Amendment) (No. 15) (Jobseeker’s Pay-Related Benefit) Regulations 2024 (No. 635 of 2024).