Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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566. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the legislation in place in 1984 regarding married women signing for credits. [19934/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I understand the Deputy’s question relates to the position of married women signing for credits in 1984.

The purpose of PRSI credits is to secure the social welfare benefits and pensions of PRSI contributors by covering gaps in insurance on the occasions where they are not in a position to make contributions, e.g. periods of unemployment, illness etc.

The Social Welfare (Contributions) Regulations 1953 (S.I. No. 5 of 1953) (as amended) was the relevant Statutory Instrument governing PRSI contributions in 1984. These Regulations were superseded by the Social Welfare (Consolidated Contributions and Insurability) Regulations 1996 (S.I.No.312 of 1996). The 1953 Regulations did not prevent married women from signing for credits.

Credits would generally only have been available to persons who were available for and genuinely seeking full-time work.

If there is a particular case which relates to the Deputy’s question, he could provide details to my Department who will investigate the issue.