Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 128: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of countries with which Ireland has bilateral social welfare agreements thereby enabling some citizens to qualify for payment on foot of contributions in more than one jurisdiction; the jurisdictions with which the agreements have been most beneficial in terms of expeditious and efficient assessment of applications; the countries with least impressive performance in this regard; if she will take action to ensure that all such applications are rapidly processed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18683/08]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 176: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will examine the degree to which bilateral social welfare agreements are operating effectively with particular reference to the need to reduce delays of up to two to three years in some cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18853/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 128 and 176 together.

Ireland has social security agreements with Austria, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the USA and Switzerland. These agreements came into effect between 1989 and 1999, except for that with the UK which covers the Isle of Man and Channel Islands and came into effect on 1st October 2007. Ireland also has a bilateral understanding with Quebec since 1 October 1994. In the cases of Austria and Switzerland, the agreements have limited application as the EU regulations normally apply in these cases.

The main purpose of the agreements is to protect the social security pension rights of workers who have worked both in Ireland and the other country to which the agreement applies. The arrangements protect pension rights by allowing reckonable periods in each country to be taken into account in either country in determining the entitlement to certain benefits where there would be no entitlement if national legislation only applied.

All of these agreements are currently in operation and are generally working satisfactorily. The time taken to process claims that fall to be examined under bilateral agreements can be longer than that for standard Irish entitlements, reflecting the added complexity that arises in determining entitlements under these agreements and the necessity to obtain the relevant foreign insurance details. Delays, in general, occur where persons have had a varied employment history over a long period and this can lead to some difficulties in completing their full insurance record. Where particular delays occur in the exchange of information, every effort is made to minimise processing times, having regard to the overriding objective in dealing with these claims to ensure that people receive their full and correct entitlements.

Liaison procedures to ensure the secure transfer of personal data have been established with each country and are kept under constant review. Regular contact is made with the appropriate agencies to ensure the accuracy, completeness and timeliness of transfer of the information required to decide on claims.

Pension applications from customers who have worked in the UK represent the largest category of claims under bilateral agreements. My Department has established a very good working relationship with the UK Department of Work and Pensions, with regular direct communication on operational matters.

Delays in processing applications do not ultimately result in any losses to pensioners in that those who qualify for payment have their claims backdated in accordance with the normal practice for backdating pension claims.

I am satisfied that overall the procedures are working effectively and efficiently.