Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 225: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason the situation exists whereby a spouse, who has not worked up sufficient credits in their own right, is entitled to be included in their partner's pension payments. [40127/05]

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 226: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his plans to respect the dignity of Irish workers not entitled to a full State pension (details supplied) to be provided with a reduced or partial pension in their own right. [40128/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 225 and 226 together.

The social welfare pensions system comprises both social insurance and non-contributory payments. Payment of the former depends on a person achieving a minimum level of social insurance contributions over their working lives while the latter is subject to a means test. Within that basic structure every effort is made to ensure that as a many people as possible can qualify for a pension in their own right.

In common with most social security systems, the Irish social welfare system provides for additional payments to be made where an insured person claiming a benefit or pension has an adult or child dependant. In the case of adult dependants payment of the allowance is subject to an income test. At present, the full allowance is payable where a spouse or partner has income up to €88.88 per week with reduced allowances paid up to an income level of €220 per week. From January 2006 the upper income threshold increases to €240 per week.

A number of measures have been introduced over the years which make it easier for people to qualify for contributory pensions. These include the reduction in the yearly average number of contributions required for pension purposes from 20 to ten and the introduction of special half rate pensions based on pre-53 insurance contributions. Pro-rata pensions are also available to allow people with mixed rate insurance records receive a payment. This set of measures is of particular benefit to women who may have less than complete social insurance records due to working in the home.

The social welfare pension rights of those who take time out of the workforce for caring duties are protected by the homemakers scheme which was introduced from 1994. The scheme allows up to 20 years spent caring for children or incapacitated adults to be disregarded when a persons social insurance record is being averaged for pension purposes. However, the scheme will not of itself qualify a person for a pension. The standard qualifying conditions, which require a person to enter insurance ten years before pension age, pay a minimum of 260 contributions at the correct rate and achieve a yearly average of at least ten contributions on their record from the time they enter insurance until they reach pension age must also be satisfied.

There are those who will not benefit from the homemakers scheme and who cannot qualify for a pension in their own right. In this regard, the Government is committed to increasing the payment for qualified adults, age 66 or over, to the same level as the personal rate of the old age non-contributory pension and to facilitating the direct payment of the allowance to spouses and partners.

Budget 2006 increased the qualified adult rates for age 66 or over by €10.80 per week for contributory pensioners and by €10.60 per week for non-contributory pensioners. Also, since 2002, new pension claimants can now opt to have the qualified adult allowance paid directly to their spouse or partner. The administrative and legislative implications of enhancing these provisions are under active consideration by my Department and I intend to progress the matter in the coming year.

In relation to the non-contributory pension, in budget 2006, I made changes to the income disregards allowed under the means test. The basic income disregard was increased by €12.40 per week to €20 and I also introduced an earnings disregard of €100 per week. These allowances are doubled in the case of couples and will allow more people to qualify for social welfare pensions.

I will continue to look for ways, within the current social welfare structure, to increase the number of people who can receive payments in their own right.