Michael Ring
Ceist:487 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will be awarded a widow's non-contributory pension and the household benefits scheme. [22265/02]
Written Answers. - Pension Provisions.
The person concerned applied for widow's non-contributory pension on 24 October 2002. Her application is with a local officer for investigation of her means. On receipt of the local officer's report her entitlement will be examined and she will be informed of the outcome in due course. She is currently in receipt of disability allowance and receiving the household benefits. She will continue to receive them if she qualifies for a widow's non-contributory pension. Under social welfare legislation, decisions on pension entitlements are made by deciding officers and appeals officers. These officers are statutorily appointed and I have no role in regard to making such decision.
Michael Ring
Ceist:488 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the outcome of the reassessment of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo for an old age non-contributory pension. [22266/02]
There is no record of the person concerned having applied for an old age non-contributory pension. She had been in receipt of widow's non-contributory pension at the reduced weekly rate of £59.50, €75.55, until 22 May 2000. Payment of pension was then discontinued, as she failed to substantiate the disposal of significant capital that arose from the sale of her farm and dwelling. An appeals officer subsequently upheld the deciding officer's decision. On foot of the Deputy's earlier representations and following further investigation her application was again disallowed by a deciding officer on 16 October 2002, for the same reason as previously. She was informed of this decision and of her right of appeal. Under social welfare legislation, decisions on claims are made by deciding officers and appeals officers. These officers are statutorily appointed and I have no role in making such decisions.
Michael Ring
Ceist:489 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will review an application for an old age contributory pension by a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [22311/02]
The person concerned applied for retirement pension on 18 January 1999. His claim was disallowed as he did not satisfy the condition requiring him to have commenced paying social insurance in Ireland before reaching age 55. In June 2000, he appealed the decision not to award him a pension. His appeal was disallowed by an appeals officer and he was notified of the position.
Prior to entering insurance in Ireland, the person concerned had been insurably employed in the United Kingdom. His entitlement to pension was therefore examined under the EU regulations on social security and he was awarded a weekly EU pro rata retirement pension of £31.30, €39.74, effective from 1 June 2000, following his retirement from work. On reaching age 66, he was awarded a pro rata old age contributory pension at the higher rate of £34.30, €43.55, per week effective from 4 August 2000. From 8 November 2002 his weekly pension increased from €53.90 to €58.00 as his wife reached age 66.
Michael Ring
Ceist:490 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of people who were refused a retirement pension or old age contributory pension on the basis that they had not entered into insurance before attaining 56 years of age; the number who were refused as they only entered insurance up to six weeks after attaining that age; and the number who were refused as they only entered insurance more than six weeks after attaining that age. [22312/02]
Applicants under these pension schemes have been required, since the commencement of these schemes in 1961 and 1970 respectively, to have entered insurance ten years before the relevant date for entitlement to pension. Since Ireland's accession to the EU in 1973, entry into insurance under the legislation of other member states before these ages also satisfies the requirement here for the purpose of a pro-rata pension.
Figures are not available to show the numbers who failed to qualify for pensions from my Department under this heading since these schemes commenced. It is possible, however, from the computer system supporting the payment of these pensions since 1985, to identify that a total of 112 applicants to retirement pension and 866 applicants to old age contributory pension failed to satisfy this condition. These figures relate only to people who actually lodged a claim for pension and do not include people who did not claim, knowing that they did not have an entitlement. The figures also do not include people who failed to qualify for standard rate pensions by virtue of not satisfying the entry condition but who subsequently qualified for pro-rata pensions under EU regulations or bilateral agreements. The data available does not give the additional information sought by the Deputy.