Batt O'Keeffe
Ceist:27 Mr. B. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will extend maternity benefit to those RSI contributors in the Class S category; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8240/95]
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
Self-employed people are compulsorily insurable under the Social Welfare Acts since 1988. They are eligible for survivor's pension, orphan's contributory allowance and old age contributory pension.
Contributions as self-employed persons, Class S, do not reckon for maternity benefit or for short-term benefits under the Acts.
One of the conditions for entitlement to maternity benefit under social welfare legislation requires that the woman is in employment which is covered by the Maternity Protection of Employees Act, 1981 which is administered by the Department of Enterprise and Employment. This legislation is confined to employed persons and it does not apply to persons who are self-employed.
There are no plans at present to extend maternity benefit to self-employed women. Any such proposal would have financial implications and would require consideration of the whole context of social insurance coverage for the self-employed as a group.