Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 184: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of people who have applied for a pension (details supplied); the number who have been approved to date; and the number drawing down this pension. [13917/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Spouses of self-employed contributors, who are actively engaged in a commercial partnership, including the operation of a farm, can apply to the Department to have the commercial partnership formally recognised, and to be treated as an individual self-employed contributor. In this way, both spouses incur a liability to pay Class S self-employed PRSI, which can count towards qualification for State Pension (Contributory) and other Social Welfare benefits. An information leaflet 'Working with Your Spouse' was published in June 2008.

Of the 713 applications to have a commercial partnership retrospectively recognised, received by the Department, 633 are in respect of farm partnerships. To-date 202 applicants have been issued with decisions; some 80% have been granted and 20% disallowed. No statistical information is maintained on State Pension (Contributory) applications arising from retrospectively recognised commercial partnerships. Such pension applications are dealt with as part of the normal claim load.