Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 212: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the estimated savings to the Exchequer if the qualifying year for the contributory State pension and State contributory transition pension were increased by one year respectively. [36466/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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It is estimated that €260 million could be saved if the qualifying year for the State Pension (Contributory) and State Pension (Transition) was increased by one year. However, it is important to note that these estimated savings do not take account of additional expenditure that may be incurred through knock-on effects on other areas if people of these age groups qualified for unemployment or illness-related payments. The Government is currently finalising the National Pensions Framework which will be published before the end of the year. Any decisions on amending state pension age will be considered in that context.