Vol. 554 No. 5
1648 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo does not qualify for a full old age contributory pension; the number of stamps this person is short for qualification; and if this person would have qualified if he had reached 66 years of age prior to 6 April. [15702/02]
The person concerned reached 65 years of age on 9 July and submitted an application for retirement pension on 19 March. He does not qualify for a retirement pension as he does not satisfy the statutory qualifying conditions requiring him to have the following: a yearly average of at least 24 contributions paid or credited since 1953 or year of entry into insurance if later, up to the end of the last complete tax year before reaching age 65, and a minimum of 260 full rate employment contributions paid since commencing to pay social insurance.
According to my Department's records, the person concerned has a yearly average of 19 over the requisite period and a total of 228 paid employment contributions. His application was refused and he was notified of his right of appeal on 18 July. Had the person concerned reached age 66 between January and April he would have had a yearly average of 19 for old age contributory pension purposes. He would also have been required to have had at least 260 paid employment contributions to qualify for pension.
The person concerned will reach age 66 on 9 July 2003. While he will satisfy the average test for a reduced old age contributory pension with an average of 20, he would require a further 32 full rate paid contributions to qualify for pension.
1649 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if the assessment of means for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo could be recalculated to reflect the true yearly value of their capital on a claim for an old age non-contributory pension. [15708/02]
1693 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the rate of pension for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo following their review. [16225/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1649 and 1693 together.
The person concerned had been in receipt of an old age pension since 1994 based on a means assessment of €21.63 derived from his farm holding. He was in receipt of €119 per week with effect from the beginning of January and a living alone allowance and a fuel allowance were also payable. He requested a review of his means in March. During the course of the review it emerged that he now also has means from capital in addition to the means from the farm holding. The deciding officer reassessed his means at €74.17 per week.
The pensioner appealed this decision to the SWA office. The appeals officer disallowed the appeal and notification of this decision has been issued to the pensioner. He is now in receipt of €66.50 per week. In addition, a living alone allowance of €7.70 per week and a free fuel allowance of €9 per week are in payment.
