Vol. 567 No. 7
260 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will review the pro-rata self-employed contributory old age pension to allow persons with nine years' contributions to receive 90% of the contributory rate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15120/03]
The issue of people who failed narrowly to qualify for a pension, including self employed people who were already over 56 years in 1988 when compulsory social insurance was introduced for this group, was addressed in 1999. These people could not qualify for a pension because they could not satisfy the basic conditions required for pensions purposes, particularly the requirement to have entered insurance ten years before pension age.
A special old age (contributory) pension was introduced in April 1999 for self employed people who were aged 56 or over in April 1988 and who have at least five year's contributions paid since then. Payment is at a flat-rate of 50% of the standard maximum rate with equivalent increases for adult and child dependants, where applicable. The special arrangement introduced in April 1999 represents a positive and reasonable response to the situation in which this particular group of people found themselves and there are no plans at present to make further changes.
