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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 21 May 1991

Vol. 408 No. 7

Written Answers. - Bilateral Agreement with US Government.

Enda Kenny

Question:

116 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Social Welfare when he expects to be in a position to finalise bilateral arrangements with the United States Government which will make citizens who are pensioners and in receipt of US social security payments in Ireland, eligible for Irish social welfare benefits; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Dinny McGinley

Question:

117 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Social Welfare if negotiations have commenced regarding entitlements and benefits to residents of this country who are in receipt of a United States social security benefit; and if so, the progress to date.

It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 117 and 116 together.

A bilateral agreement with the United States is included in my programme to complete social security agreements with countries which are outside of the EC.

We already have an agreement in place with Austria and I have recently signed agreements with Canada and Australia. These will become operational when both of these countries complete certain internal constitutional requirements.

The agreement which I am currently negotiating with the United States is one to which I attach a great deal of importance in view of the very significant number of Irish emigrants who have spent a considerable part of their working lives in that country. Discussions on the text of this agreement have been substantially completed between officials of my Department and their counterpart officials in the United States. There are however, a number of minor issues still outstanding some of which have constitutional implications and on which legal advice is necessary. These are being pursued urgently and I would hope that the agreement will be ready for signature within the next few months.
The agreement when completed will cover the Irish social welfare schemes of contributory old age pension, retirement pensions, contributory widows and orphans' pension, invalidity pension and death grant and on the US side the federal programmes of old age, survivors and disability insurance. Its main purpose will be to allow periods of employment in one country to be counted towards satisfying the conditions for pension entitlement in the other country. In addition, on the Irish side, when the agreement becomes operational recipients of US social security pensions, who are resident in Ireland, will become eligible, on a par with Irish pensioners, for free travel, free electricity, free TV licence, free telephone rental and free fuel. This is as a result of the initiative which I introduced as part of the social welfare improvements in last year's budget.
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