Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 February 2022
522. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of an application for an invalidity pension in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9507/22]
View answerInvalidity Pension is payable to an insured person who satisfies certain Social Insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions and who is permanently incapable of work due to an illness or incapacity and for no other reason.
Claimants must have at least 260 (5 years) paid PRSI contributions class (A, E, H or S) 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 Invalidity Pension claim.
The relevant date is:
(a) any date after the completion of one year of continuous incapacity for work, or
(b) any lesser period that may be prescribed, subject to the conditions and in the circumstances that may be prescribed where the insured person has entered into a continuous period of incapacity for work and he or she is subsequently proved to be permanently incapable of work.
The person concerned submitted a new application for Invalidity Pension on 26 January 2022. It was decided that the relevant year in this case is 2021. According to the Department’s records there are 0 weeks qualifying contributions paid or credited for her in the contribution year prior to the relevant date (2020) and 0 weeks qualifying contributions paid or credited for her in the second last year prior to the relevant date (2019). This application has been disallowed and the person concerned was notified of the decision on 16 February 2022, the reasons for it and of her right of review and appeal.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
