Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 211: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow is entitled to a pension on foot of their contributions; if this file can be reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27357/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The qualifying conditions for State pension (contributory) require the applicant to · have entered insurable employment before attaining the age of 56 years

· have at least 260 paid contribution weeks, from employment or self-employment, since entry into insurance

· satisfy the yearly average condition.

The person concerned applied for State pension (contributory) in February 2010. His claim was disallowed on 25th February 2010, on the grounds that he does not satisfy the contribution condition as he only has a total of 109 paid contributions.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 212: To ask the Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will be approved and paid the State non-contributory pension; and the reason this claim is taking so long to finalise. [27367/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The person concerned was refused the State pension (non-contributory) in October 2009 as there was insufficient information on means provided to enable the entitlement to be determined. The file was then forwarded to the Social Welfare Local Officer on the 4th February 2010 for further investigation of means. In order to determine his entitlement to the pension, the person concerned was asked on two occasions to provide a number of documents. Unfortunately, the Department has no record of this information being received. If he submits the required documentation to the Department his entitlement to a State pension (non-contributory) will be determined as quickly as possible.