asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position of an application for an old age contributory pension (particulars supplied), indicating the recorded contributions and the amount of pension payable; the reasons, if any, why a non-contributory pension was discontinued; and the specified reasons why the non-contributory pension is not now in payment.
Written Answers. - Old Age Contributory Pension.
247.
The person concerned made written inquiry to my Department as to the number of contributions to her credit which would be reckonable for old age contributory pension purposes but no claim to old age contributory pension was received from her. A total of 235 contributions and credits are recorded in respect of her during the relevant average test period, from July 1953 to June 1976 giving her a yearly average of 10. A yearly average of at least 20 contributions is required to qualify for pension at minimum rate.
She had been in receipt of widow's non-contributory pension up to 13 September 1977 when she reached age 67 years. She was then paid non-contributory old age pension provisionally pending investigation of her entitlement to that pension. The investigation disclosed that her means had increased since the previous investigation in 1972 and were in excess of the statutory means limit. By decision dated 29 October 1977 the local Pension Committee disallowed her claim on that ground and payment was terminated from 27 January 1978.