Just to try and clarify things:
1. Pension entitlements: PRSI of national Insurance records can be combined between EU countries (and some others) to qualify a person for a pension. It can also happen that a person can qualify for two pensions, one from each country. All this depends on qualifying criteria, inusrance paid, tec..
2. Social welfare benefits (i.e. jobseekers, illness): People can combine PRSI/Ins in the same wasy as above. However, there may be restrictions such as here in ireland, where you cannot claim Jobseeker's Benefit unless you were last emplyed in this country for at least 1 week.
3. There is no such thing as "transferring" PRSi as you would money. All that merely happens is that one country asks another to state what record of social insurance is ther and then they use that record to pay due entitlement, if any. Therefore, you don't claim X amount because you paid X amount and have now left the country.
4. If you are travelling to look for work in another country and in receipt of Jobseeker's benefit in Ireland, you can still get paid that benefit for up to 3 months roughly while abroad. But you must have all this arranged before you go adn it may not get paid out too quickly by the other country's agency!
5. Health cover is a different kettle of fish entirely. The European health Insurance Card is the main proof of cover abroad and has nothing to due with how many PRSI contributions you have (apart from the fact that some % of it is a Health Levy!)
Hope this helps a little....
