Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 September 2004
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Pension Provisions.
1344 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if a person (details supplied) will be granted their pension entitlement immediately based on income and age and will not be subject to intimidating interrogation. [22293/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraA person who is habitually resident in the State may qualify for an old age non-contributory pension if she-he is aged 66 or over and satisfies the statutory means test.
The person concerned applied to my Department for pension in August 2003 and again in March 2004. Following an investigation of her circumstances by a social welfare inspector, her initial application was disallowed on the basis that her income from self-employment exceeded the maximum statutory limit for entitlement to pension. Her second application for pension was disallowed on the basis that she had failed to disclose her means fully to the Department. She was formally notified of these decisions in writing. It remains open to her to appeal to the social welfare appeals office.
As old age non-contributory pension is a means-tested payment, it is necessary for pension applicants to be interviewed by a social welfare inspector in order to determine their financial circumstances. There is an obligation on applicants to disclose their means fully to the Department.
The Department operates a customer service charter and aims to deal with all of its customers in a fair, courteous and timely way. If the person concerned has a complaint to make about the manner in which she was interviewed, she should bring this to the attention of my Department through her nearest social welfare local office and it will be investigated through the formal customer complaints service.
