job sharer now available for fulltime work

Let me explain my position -
I am job sharing with my company (multinational) almost 11 years having previously worked for 10 years fulltime with them.
In the last few weeks all of the employees have been put on 'short-time' including job sharers. Job sharers are now going to be reduced to 1 day 1 week and 2 days next week alternating.
Social welfare officers were brought up to the factory to deal with the group claim & job sharers were notified to s.w.
I put on the s.w. form (jobseekers benefit) that i am now avail for fulltime work.
All of the employees (with the exception of jobsharers) have received back correspondence and /or cheques from social welfare.
I rang my local social welfare office to enquire why we hadnt heard anything & i was told at a local level they were not sure how to deal with job sharers - so they rang head office & there was a blanket decision made apparently - you choose to job share - you cannot claim!
My children are now older - my husbands employment are rationalising & between us we have never made a claim in over 21 years!
I am so annoyed that when I try to make a claim due to changed circumstances a decision I made almost 11 years ago is thrown back at me.
Any advise any one ?

Tough one. Look for a written response, and check out what appeals options are open to you. It could possibly be discriminatory on grounds of family status.

Can you show the social welfare officer evidence that you had requested to return to full time work with your current employer or have sought employment (full or part-time) elsewhere?

I found this on the website, with qualifying conditions, if you fit these surely they cannot refuse?

http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Schemes/JobseekerSupports/JobseekersBenefit/Pages/jb.aspx

Social Welfare have sent me forms to fill out which I have now returned to them showing evidence of where I have asked my current employer for extra hours. Also evidence of registering with Fas. Also had to outline what kind of work I would accept etc.,
Still think it's very unfair that our claim was rubbished from the outset....we have a loss of earnings like everybody else