European Union – Social security. Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 and, in particular, art 67, read in conjunction with art 11(2) thereof, should be interpreted as meaning that in order to be eligible to receive family benefits in the competent member state, it was not necessary for a person either to pursue an activity as an employed person in that member state or to be in receipt of cash benefits from that member state because or as a consequence of such activity. The Court of Justice of the European Union so held in a preliminary ruling concerning the decision by which the respondent Minister for Social Protection (Ireland) had refused to pay the applicant's family benefits for a portion of the period covered by his application.