Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 May 2017
274. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider awarding a State pension on reaching retirement age to those persons who contracted hepatitis C and were unable to work due to their illness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23104/17]
View answerThe State pension contributory is one of a number of pensions the State pays to people over 66. The rate of payment to a person is related to the number of contributions made over the years into the Social Insurance Fund by the person. To ensure that the individual can maximise their entitlement to a State pension (contributory), all contributions paid or credited over their working life from when they first enter insurable employment until pension age are taken into account when assessing their entitlement and the level of that entitlement.
Where a person of working age was unable to work due to illness, they may have been entitled to claim an Invalidity Pension, depending on their circumstances. Those in receipt of the personal rate invalidity pension at pension age would generally transfer automatically to the State pension (contributory) at the full payment rate.
Where people who were unattached to the labour market during most of their adult lives cannot qualify for a contributory pension in their own right as they have paid few or no contributions, or cannot qualify for a full rate as a result of an intermittent PRSI record, the social protection system provides alternative methods of supporting such pensioners in old age. Therefore, if their spouse has a contributory pension, they may qualify for an Increase for a Qualified Adult amounting up to 90% of a full rate pension, which by default is paid directly to them. Alternatively, they may qualify for a means-tested State Pension (non-contributory), amounting up to 95% of the maximum contributory pension rate. While this payment is subject to a household means-test, there are very significant disregards which means that over 70% of such pensioners qualify at the full rate.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
