Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 10 Feb 1994

Vol. 438 No. 6

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

66 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Welfare the current position regarding the application for contributory old age pension in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare with particular reference to the National Pensions Board report and its implications for this case; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Social Welfare (Dr. Woods)

To qualify for an old age contributory pension a person must have entered insurance at least 10 years before reaching pension age, have at least 156 contributions paid and have a yearly average of at least 20 contributions registered since January 1953 when the unified system of social insurance came into effect, or the time they started insurable employment, if later.

In the case the Deputy refers to the person concerned failed to qualify because he had a yearly average of 18 contributions.

The National Pensions Board in its final reportDeveloping the National Pension System made a large number of recommendations for changes to the pensions system, including increasing the number of paid contributions required to qualify for pension and introducing a wider range of pro-rata pensions related to the average number of contributions over an insured lifetime.

The report and the recommendations are at present being studied within my Department and I intend, in due course, to bring forward proposals on the issues addressed in the report. The person concerned may be entitled to an old age (non-contributory) pension which is payable subject to a means test and I have arranged for details to be sent to him.