Olwyn Enright
Question:133 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of persons who have been awarded a pension based on pre-1953 contributions; and the number of applications being processed. [13531/03]
Written Answers. - Pension Provisions.
The pre-1953 old age contributory pension was introduced from May 2000 specifically for people who commenced insurable employment before 1953 and who had at least five years paid insurance comprising either national health insurance or a combination of social insurance and national health insurance. The pension is payable at 50% of the maximum weekly standard personal rate. Increases for qualified adults and child dependants, where applicable, are also paid at 50%. The implementation of the pre-1953 pension was part of the Government's continued focus on the needs of the elderly. It acknowledges insurance paid by people prior to 1953.
Since its introduction, some 26,000 people have been awarded a pre-53 pension. Approximately 8,500 of these were previously in receipt of a pro-rata old age (contributory) or retirement pension at a lower weekly personal rate. The processing of pre-1953 pension claim is a tedious and time consuming process, given the lapse of time since the relevant employments and the difficulties of tracing old insurance numbers. In many cases we are dealing with employment records over 50 years old and predating any computerisation.
Applications for the pension continue to be received at the rate of around 90 per week, the majority of which are from persons living abroad. There are at present some 1,500 claims in various stages of processing. In addition, up to 3,000 cases which do not qualify for a standard pre-53 pension are in the process of having their entitlement to a pro-rata rate of pre-1953 pension examined under EU or bilateral agreements. Where foreign insurance records are not to hand, the relevant social security authorities have been requested to forward the necessary information. Most of those who might qualify for a pro-rata pre-1953 pension would be people living in Great Britain who are in receipt of a British retirement pension in their own right.
Every effort is being made to process these claims as quickly as possible. As has been the case with all applications for the pension, the overriding consideration is that all claims are thoroughly checked to ensure that pensioners receive their correct entitlement and nobody loses out as a result on any shortcomings in regard to the quality of the records available.
Dinny McGinley
Question:134 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of non-contributory old age pensioners and non-contributory widows pensioners whose pensions have been reduced as a result of receiving British pension entitlements; the total reduced in 2002 and 2003 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13520/03]
There are almost 104,000 people receiving an Irish non-contributory old age or widowed person's pension. Of these, some 10,700, or 10%, also receive a British retirement pension. British pension rates in these cases are less than the maximum rate of non-contributory pension payable in this country. As a result, the people concerned have an entitlement to Irish pension to, in effect, top-up their British pension to the level of Irish non-contributory pension.
The rate paid in respect of Irish non-contributory pension to people with British pensions has to be adjusted to take account of changes in the rate of their British pension. In this regard, there is a legal obligation on pensioners to notify the Department in the event of changes in their means for whatever reason. While changes in exchange rates themselves do not lead to initiation of claim reviews by my Department, they must be taken into account when the case is being reviewed.
My Department has an ongoing claim review and control programme in place for all social welfare schemes, including pensions. In the calendar years 2002 and 2003 to date, some 740 pensioners with British retirement pensions have had their old age non-contributory pensions reduced following claim reviews, largely as a consequence of increases in their British pensions. In the same period, 60 widow/er's non-contributory pensions were reduced for this reason following review. It should be noted that the overall income position of these pensioners has been maintained, as their Irish pension reductions arose directly as a result of corresponding increases in their other means.