Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 23 Mar 1995

Vol. 451 No. 1

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Payments.

Ivor Callely

Question:

51 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of prisoners released in 1994 who claimed unemployment assistance; the number of prisoners who availed of the arrangements to have the means test for assistance conducted in advance of their release to avoid any delay in payment when released; and if he has satisfied himself with this system. [6222/95]

Minister for Social Welfare (Proinsias De Rossa)

I am satisfied that there is no undue dealy in the payment of unemployment assistance to former prisoners. Applicants for unemployment payments are now interviewed in the local office of the Department on the day the claim is made or are given an appointment for an interview a day or so later. This ensures that claims are processed speedily and constitutes a substantial improvement on the previous procedure of interviewing applicants at home in all cases. In addition arrangements may be made to interview applicants before release from prison.

Information is not maintained on the number of prisoners released in 1994 who claimed unemployment assistance or on those who requested a means test prior to their release from custody.

John Ellis

Question:

52 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will grant credits in respect of contributions prior to 1953 to people who have a shortfall with regard to fulfilling the contribution requirements for a contributory pension. [6236/95]

Minister for Social Welfare (Proinsias De Rossa)

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 (or 24 in the case of a retirement pension) registered from January 1953 (when the unified system of social insurance came into effect), or the time they started insurable employment, if later, to the end of the last complete contribution year before the person reached pension age.

Social insurance paid before 1953 under the National Health Insurance Acts can be taken into account in satisfying the first two conditions but cannot be used in calculating the yearly average.

In this regard it is relevant to point out that prior to 1953 three different types of contributions were payable. These were national health insurance, widows and orphans pensions and unemployment insurance contributions.

These contributions gave specific entitlement only to the benefits of the schemes under which they were paid.

The old age contributory pension scheme was introduced in 1961. Contributions paid by insured persons prior to 1961 did not contain an element in respect of that pension. However, as a concession and to enable persons reaching pension age at that time to qualify immediately for a contributory pension, contributions paid prior to 1952 were taken into account in calculating a person's entitlement to pension. These transitional arrangements operated until 1973. From that date contributions paid prior to 1953 were no longer counted for the purposes of satisfying the yearly average test. However they are still reckonable for the other two eligibility conditions.

Given the history of the eligibility conditions, outlined above, I have no plans to change the existing arrangements.