Vol. 540 No. 2
54 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will clarify the situation regarding the entitlement of women to sign for credits; if he intends reviewing the eligibility to sign for credits, particularly in view of the fact that many of those seeking to sign for credits were forced to give up work due to the marriage bar and subsequently do not have sufficient credits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20106/01]
In order to qualify for social insurance credits: a person must have previously worked and paid PRSI; if a person has no PRSI contributions paid or credited for more than two full contribution years, they must return to work and pay PRSI contributions for at least 26 weeks; as credits are linked to specific circum stances, such as illness or unemployment, a person must provide relevant evidence of these circumstances. For example, a person claiming credits on the basis of illness would be required to submit medical certificates. Similarly, a person claiming credits on the basis of unemployment would be required to meet certain criteria, such as showing their availability for work. These conditions apply to both men and women.
The purpose of social welfare credits is to secure the PRSI entitlements of insured workers, who are temporarily outside the paid workforce for reasons such as unemployment, illness etc., in a manner which is consistent with the continued viability of the social insurance fund. Given that the award of credits can give entitlement to a range of social insurance benefits, provided that a certain number of paid contributions have been made, I am sure the Deputy will appreciate that it is necessary to have some limitations on such award.
A separate arrangement exists to protect the long-term social insurance pensions of people, mainly women, who give up paid employment for periods of caring. From 6 April 1994 periods of time spent out of the workforce, including self employment caring either for children aged up to 12 years or incapacitated people are disregarded when calculating a person's pension entitlements. The maximum period which can be disregarded is 20 years. An examination of the homemaker's scheme is being undertaken as part of the review of the qualifying conditions for old age contributory and retirement pensions and I expect to have a report later this year, which I will examine in a budgetary context.
I should also refer to a number of recent initiatives in the pensions area. These include the reduction in the average number of PRSI contributions required for pension purposes to ten and the payment of a special half rate pension for those with pre-53 insurance contributions. These measures have made it easier for people, including women, with reduced or broken insurance records to receive a contributory pension.
Question No. 55 answered with Question No. 33.
