Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 25 Jul 1996

Vol. 468 No. 4

Written Answers. - Potential Claims for Pensions Arrears.

Micheál Martin

Question:

734 Mr. Martin asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether the figure of £5.7 million contained in his reply to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 23 and 48 on Thursday, 20 June 1996 represents an estimate by his Department of potential claims for arrears from recipients of retirement pensions, old age contributory pensions and widows/widowers contributory pensions who applied late for their pension to which they were entitled by virtue of contributions paid but did not receive payment due to provisions currently in operation governing the payment of arrears of social welfare payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15349/96]

Minister for Social Welfare (Proinsias De Rossa)

The figure of £5.7 million to which the Deputy refers represents an estimate by my Department of the potential yearly cost of awarding late claims back to the date of entitlement for new recipients of the retirement pension, old age contributory pension and widow's and widower's contributory pension schemes.

Section 205 (2) of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1993, provides for regulatory powers to disqualify a person from payment of arrears if they do not claim within the prescribed time. These powers are provided for in Articles 102, 104 and 105 of the Social Welfare (Consolidated Payments Provisions) Regulations, 1994, as laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas in December 1994. I am satisfied these regulations are being interpreted correctly.