Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 18 May 1993

Vol. 430 No. 8

Written Answers. - PRSI Contributions Refund.

P. J. Sheehan

Ceist:

123 Mr. Sheehan asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will receive a refund of PRSI contributions made over the past six years as he did not qualify for the contributory pension when he attained the age of 66 years.

Minister for Social Welfare (Dr. Woods)

Under current regulations a person who fails to qualify for an old age contributory or non-contributory pension is entitled to a refund of the old age pension element of any social insurance contributions paid provided the person was aged 56 or over when entering social insurance for the first time. These arrangements apply equally to employed and self-employed persons.

According to the records of my Department the person concerned was over 56 when he first entered social insurance in 1988. He paid contributions over the next three years. On reaching age 66 in 1991, he qualified for an old age non-contributory pension at the maximum rate plus an adult dependants allowance for his spouse. He is, therefore, not eligible for a refund of the social insurance contributions paid by him.

However, the three years contributions which were paid gives his spouse a life long entitlement to a widow's contributory pension.