Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 1318: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the progress made following the recommendations by the Irish Human Rights Commission regarding a special pension for the self employed; if the committee of experts has completed its review of the matter in the context of its annual report on compliance with the European Code of Social Security submitted by his Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30552/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, the views of the ILO Committee of Experts, which examines annual national reports on compliance with the European Code of Social Security on behalf of the Council of Europe, were sought on the conclusions of the IHRC report, and in particular whether the provisions of the Code require the payment of a pension in the circumstances of the case in question, regardless of how few contributions have been paid by the person involved.

The ILO Committee completed its report on compliance with the Code earlier this year and submitted its conclusions for consideration to the Committee of Ministers. The Committee of Ministers accepted the recommendations in the ILO report and confirmed that Ireland was in conformity with the Code on this issue. The Committee published its decision on the 21st May 2008 and the Department notified the IHRC of the result.