S.I. No. 139/1981:

SOCIAL WELFARE (MATERNITY ALLOWANCE) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS, 1981.

SOCIAL WELFARE (MATERNITY ALLOWANCE) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS, 1981.

The Minister for Social Welfare, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by sections 3 and 24 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1981 (No. 1 of 1981), hereby makes the following Regulations:--

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Social Welfare (Maternity Allowance) (Amendment) Regulations, 1981.

2. These Regulations and the Social Welfare (Maternity Allowance) Regulations, 1952 and 1971, shall be construed as one and may be cited together as the Social Welfare (Maternity Allowance) Regulations, 1952 to 1981.

3. Article 4 of the Social Welfare (Maternity Allowance) Regulations, 1952 ( S.I. No. 375 of 1952 ) is hereby amended by the substitution for sub-article (1) of the following sub-article--

"(1) The expected week of confinement to be specified in any certificate pursuant to section 24 (1) (a) of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1981 (No. 1 of 1981) shall not be--

( a ) in the case of a woman entitled to maternity allowance under section 24 (2) (a) of that Act (as substituted by the Social Welfare (Amendment) Act, 1981 (No. 3 of 1981)), more than sixteen weeks after the week in which the certificate is given, and

( b ) in any other case, more than eight weeks after the week in which the certificate is given.".

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for Social Welfare

this 3rd day of April, 1981.

MICHAEL WOODS,

Minister for Social Welfare.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

Section 24 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1981 , provides that the expected week of confinement of a woman applying for maternity allowance shall be specified in a certificate and shall not be more than a prescribed number of weeks after that in which the certificate is given.

These Regulations provide that in the case of a woman entitled to maternity leave under the Maternity Protection of Employees Act, 1981 the period prescribed for the purposes of the Act shall be 16 weeks and in all other cases 8 weeks.