The lady concerned is currently in receipt of means tested disability allowance.
Invalidity pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and for no other reason and who satisfy the pay-related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions.
To date there is no record in my department of receipt of a claim for IP from the lady in question.
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.
According to the department’s records, it appears that this lady does not satisfy the PRSI contribution criteria for IP. Specifically she does not have the required 260 contributions paid since she entered social insurance. However entitlement to IP can be definitively determined on receipt of a completed claim form.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.