Vol. 481 No. 7
217 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs whether a person (details supplied) in County Mayo can have the contributions he made over three years as payment into an old age contributory voluntary pension scheme refunded to him; if he will make a statement regarding pensioners who have made part payments in respect of this proposal; and whether they can be refunded their payments in this regard. [16838/97]
A self-employed person who enters social insurance for the first time after age 56 can claim a refund of the pension element of his/her social insurance contributions on reaching age 66, provided she/he has no entitlement to either a contributory or non-contributory old age pension.
As the person concerned was over age 56 when he first entered insurable self-employment he does not qualify for an old age contributory pension. His application for old age non-contributory pension was also rejected as his means exceed the permitted limit. In the circumstances, he is entitled to a refund of £727.49 being the pension element of PRSI contributions paid for 1988-89, 1989-90, 1990-91, 1992-93 and 1993-94. This refund will issue to him shortly.
