(1) Subject to these Regulations, an employment contribution shall be credited to an insured person, who is a member of a local authority (within the meaning of the Local Government Act, 1941 (No. 23 of 1941), in respect of each contribution week during which the insured person serves as -

(a) cathaoirleach of a local authority (within the meaning of section 25 of the Local Government Act, 1994 (No. 8 of 1994)), or

(b) [deleted]

(c) chairman of a vocational education committee (within the meaning of section 15 of the Vocational Education Act, 1930 (No. 29 of 1930)).

(2) An employment contribution shall only be credited to an insured person in accordance with sub-article (1), where the insured person -

(i) was engaged in insurable employment immediately prior to taking up an office referred to in sub-article (1), and

(ii) has given up that employment in order to serve in that office.

(3) An employment contribution shall only be credited to an insured person in accordance with the provisions of this article where an employment contribution, other than a contribution under article 88, is not payable in respect of him or her or an employment contribution is not already credited to him or her.