If you're contracting you pay 3% prsi on all your earnings. This keeps up your state pension contribution but doesn't entitle you to any dole should you become unemployed
What is the position if you are contracting for a very brief period, say 4/5 months, E.g having previously been a paye worker for years and having been made redundant and obtained jobseekers benefit for a few months,then contracting which then ends.Have you lost entitlement because of the four/five months?
If so surely this is a complete disencentive to take up contracting at all?