Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 189: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the extent to which he can expedite the process of investigation of entitlements arising from combined contributions in two or more jurisdictions having particular regard to the delays experienced currently; if satisfactory bilateral social welfare arrangements exist between Ireland and Canada; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40722/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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Currently Ireland has bilateral social security agreements with seven countries: Austria, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the USA and Switzerland. Ireland entered into a bilateral understanding with Canada on 1 October 1994. The main purpose of these agreements is to protect the social security pension rights of workers who have worked both in Ireland and the other country to which the agreements apply.

Bilateral agreements provide for periods of insurance and, where appropriate, periods treated as equivalent to periods of insurance in Ireland and the relevant country to be combined for the purposes of calculating and pension entitlements. They also provide that workers posted on a temporary basis may continue to be covered under the social insurance system of the country in which they were previously insured. The liaison procedures which have been established with each country are reviewed frequently. Regular contact is made with the appropriate foreign agencies to ensure the smooth transfer of the necessary information required to decide on these types of claims. No significant difficulties are being experienced in relation to any of the agreements at this time.

The time taken to process claims that fall to be examined under bilateral agreements is longer than that for standard Irish entitlements because of the added complexity that arises in these cases. While every effort is made to minimise processing times, the overriding objective in dealing with these claims is to ensure that people receive their full entitlements.

I would like to assure the Deputy that delays in processing applications do not result in any losses to pensioners and those who qualify for payment have their claims backdated fully in accordance with the normal regulations for backdating pension claims. While delays occur from time to time in the processing of individual claims I am satisfied that reasonable arrangements exist under the Bilateral Social Security Agreement between Ireland and Canada.