Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 March 2024
721. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person in County Kerry will be considered for a State pension (contributory) (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11683/24]
View answerThe person concerned reached pension age on 24 December 2021.
Under current eligibility conditions, an individual must have 520 full-rate paid contributions to qualify for standard State Pension (contributory). 520 full-rate contributions equate to 10 years of full-rate insurable employment.
According to the records of my Department, the person concerned has a total of 480 full-rate contributions. Since their contributions fall short of the requisite 520 paid full-rate contributions, they do not qualify for State Pension (contributory).
To qualify for a pension under EU Regulations, the combined contributions paid in Ireland and in one or more EU member state (in this case, Austria and Germany) must satisfy the 520-contribution condition. As the combined contributions fall short of the requisite 520 contributions, they do not qualify for a State Pension (contributory) under EU Regulations.
Both the homemaker’s scheme and home caring credits can be used to improve a person’s rate of pension entitlement. However, a person must satisfy the qualifying conditions for State Pension (contributory) to avail of either of these schemes.
The reforms I introduced to the state pension whereby a person can defer access to their pension to any date between age 66 and 70 and build up additional entitlements apply to those who reach pension age from 1 January 2024. As the person concerned reached pension age in 2021, it is not open to them to build up additional entitlements.
As part of these reforms, I also introduced enhanced State Pension provision for people who have been caring for incapacitated dependents for over 20 years (1040 weeks). If the person concerned has been caring for incapacitated dependents for over 20 years, they can apply for the Long-Term Carers Contributions (LTCC). If the criteria are met, the equivalent of paid contributions may be attributed to cover gaps in their contribution record. Those over age 66 can also apply and the periods of care-giving do not need to be consecutive.
The quickest way to apply for Long-Term Carers Contributions is online at MyWelfare.ie if you have a verified MyGovID account. Further information is available on the Government website at gov.ie/pension.
I have arranged for a copy of the insurance record to issue to the person concerned. If they consider that they have additional contributions or credits that have not been recorded, it is open to them to forward documentary evidence to Social Welfare Services, College Road, Sligo, F91 T384 and their pension entitlement can be reviewed.
It is also open to the person concerned to apply for the State Pension (non-contributory) which is a means-tested, residency-based payment for people of pension age. The maximum personal rate is approximately 95% of the maximum rate of contributory pension.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
