Paul Bradford
Ceist:276 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he has any plans to extend eligibility for the free scheme to recipients of United States social security pensions who are resident in Ireland.
Written Answers. - Irish-US Social Security Agreement.
Enda Kenny
Ceist:278 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position regarding the signing of the bilateral agreement between the Irish and United States Governments in respect of social security rights for returned Irish pensioners which was due to be signed last September.
It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 276 and 278 together.
Negotiations with the United States Government on a bilateral social security agreement have now been completed and the text of the agreement will shortly be submitted to the Government. Arrangements will then be made for the signing of the agreement, following which the text will be put before the Dáil for approval.
The agreement will become operative as soon as all the constitutional and legal requirements on both sides have been completed. My understanding is that these requirements will not be fulfilled on the United States side before 1993.
When the agreement comes into operation all United States social security pensioners residing here will be eligible to apply for the free schemes on the same basis as Irish and EC pensioners.