Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 1030: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 142 of 8 June 2006, if the Pensions Review Board has examined the issue of allowing persons to continue to work and pay PRSI pension contributions beyond pension age to gain eligibility for an old age contributory pension; the outcome of this examination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29447/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The Pensions Board in its report on the national pensions review, published last January, suggested a number of measures in relation to social welfare pensions designed to encourage people to continue working after normal retirement age. These included making such employment fully insurable for pensions purposes and allowing for enhanced payments when a person decides to defer claiming pension.

As indicated in reply to Question No 142, the Department is not in a position to operate such measures at present but that the matter would be further examined in the context of an overall review of the recommendations made by the Pensions Board.

Pensions was a major issue in the context of the negotiations on the social partnership agreement, Towards 2016. Arising from these negotiations the Government is committed to publishing a Green Paper on pensions outlining the major policy choices, the challenges in this area and the views of the social partners Publication next year will be followed by a consultation process. The Government are committed to responding to the consultations by developing a framework for comprehensively addressing the pensions agenda over the long-term. The report of the Pensions Board on the national pensions review, and its recommendations, will be major inputs to this process.