Joe Walsh
Ceist:182 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will have arrangements made to pay a contributory pension to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 16. [23881/96]
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
The person concerned is paying class S1 contributions as a self-employed person since 1988; these are reckonable for old age, contributory, and widow's/widower's contributory pensions but not for retirement pension purposes.
The person concerned applied for a retirement pension last August but his claim was rejected because he had no reckonable contributions. He was informed of this decision.
Since he commenced paying contributions after his 56th birthday he will not qualify for an old age pension by virtue of these contributions alone. However, as he paid social insurance contributions in the United Kingdom prior to his 56th birthday he may qualify for a pro-rata Irish old age contributory pension under EU regulations, based on his Irish and United Kingdom social insurance records. He should apply to the Department about three months before he reaches pension age of 66 years in 1997 and his entitlement will be examined.