asked the Minister for Social Welfare if it is a fact that a recipient of an English contributory old age pension of £7 per week qualifies for an Irish non-contributory old age pension of up to £3 per week, while the recipient of an Irish contributory old age pension of a similar amount does not qualify for any non-contributory old age pension.
Written Answers. - Old Age Pensions.
216.
When the old age, contributory, pension scheme, which is based on a person's insurance record without regard to means, was introduced in this country in January, 1961, it was provided that receipt of the contributory pension would be a disqualification for entitlement to a non-contributory old age pension. We are, therefore, precluded from paying a contributory and a non-contributory pension concurrently to the same person. However, a British retirement pension payable to a person permanently resident in this State is simply taken into account as means for old age non-contributory pension purposes and, accordingly, it is a fact that, subject to fulfilment of the other statutory conditions, the situation described by the Deputy could arise.