Invalidity pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the pay-related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions.
To qualify for IP claimants must, inter-alia, have at least 260 (5 years) paid PRSI contributions since entering social insurance and 48 contributions paid or credited in the last or second last complete contribution year before the relevant date of their claim. Only PRSI classes A, E, H or S contributions are reckonable for IP purposes.
If the person concerned has an entitlement to IP under Irish legislation without recourse to her UK contributions, her UK widow's contributory pension will not affect her entitlement to claim IP.
Entitlement to IP can only be definitively determined on receipt of a completed claim form.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.