James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 405: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath has been refused a contributory State pension. [43188/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The application for a State Pension (Contributory) from the person concerned was disallowed in June 2009 on the grounds that she had a yearly average of 8 social welfare contributions. In order to qualify for a minimum SPC, a yearly average of at least 10 is required.

She subsequently submitted an application to a have a commercial partnership between her and her spouse recognised for the purposes of gaining addition social insurance contributions. A decision that a retrospective partnership had existed was made in October 2009. Following payments of the required PRSI contributions in November 2009, her social insurance record was updated from 6 April 1988, the date PRSI for the self employment was introduced, to 2002 inclusive.

Her State Pension (Contributory) claim is currently awaiting re-examination and a decision in relation to her pension entitlement will be made shortly.

James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 406: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason a person (details supplied) in County Longford has been refused a non-contributory pension. [43190/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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An application for State Pension (Non-Contributory) was received from the person concerned on 23 June 2009. The claim was investigated by a Social Welfare Inspector and a decision issued to the customer on 14 September 2009 stating that she does not qualify for State Pension (Non-Contributory) as her means, derived from the capital value of land and a US retirement pension, exceed the statutory limit of €245.00 per week. The customer was also informed of her right to appeal the decision.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 407: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of applications she has received for the back to education allowance in the past 12 months; the number of applications that have been granted in the past 12 months; the number of applications that have been turned down in the past 12 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43395/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Annual statistics are collated by the Department for the number of participants on the back to education allowance (BTEA) scheme on the basis of the relevant academic year. There were 11,646 people in receipt of the back to education allowance for the 2008/2009 academic year. The figures for the 2009/2010 academic year will be significantly higher with over 18,700 applications approved by the end of October 2009.

Participants on the back to education allowance (BTEA) scheme transfer from another social welfare payment. Statistics are not collated centrally on the number of applications received or the number who are refused entry to the scheme and, consequently, remain on their existing payment.