The position has not changed since this question was last asked by the Deputy in November 1994. To qualify for the Old Age Contributory Pension, a person must have entered insurance at least ten years before pension age. This condition has been a feature of the scheme since it was introduced in 1961. The purpose of the condition is to link entitlement to the pension with a reasonable level of contributions to the Social Insurance Fund during the course of a person's career. This condition applies to self employed persons in the same way as it applies to all insured people.
Accordingly, self-employed people, including farmers, who became insured for the first time when social insurance was extended to the self-employed in 1988 and who were then aged 56 or over would not qualify for Old Age Contributory Pension. They are, of course, covered for Survivors' and Orphans Pensions.
However self-employed people in that age group who had been insured as employed contributors for any period prior to age 56 could qualify for the Old Age Contributory Pension. Such insurance can be combined with insurance as a self-employed contributor for old age pension purposes.
Refunds of the old age pension element of the contribution may be made to those who entered insurance less than ten years before pension age and who fail to qualify for either Old Age Contributory or Non-Contributory Pension.