Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 348: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if and when a State contributory pension will be granted in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31908/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

This claim has been examined and the person concerned does not satisfy the qualifying conditions for State pension (contributory) which applied on the date that the person concerned reached pension age (66). These were to:-

· have entered insurable employment before attaining the age of 56 years.

· have at least 156 paid contribution weeks, since entry into insurance, from employment or self-employment.

· have a yearly average of at least 10 paid/credited contributions.

According to the records of the Department, the person concerned has a yearly average of 4 contributions from 1952 to 1996; therefore, she does not satisfy the qualifying conditions for State pension (contributory) as outlined.

At least one year self-employment contributions must be paid prior to the person reaching pension age in order to be reckonable for a State pension (contributory). However, in this case, the self-employment contributions were only paid after reaching the age of 66 years.