Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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174. To ask the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on an application for invalidity pension in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23138/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Invalidity pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions.

To qualify for IP a claimant must, inter alia, have at least 260 (5 years) paid PRSI contributions since entering social insurance and 48 contributions paid or credited in the last complete contribution year before the date of their claim. Only PRSI classes A, E or H contributions are reckonable for IP purposes.

Under EU Regulations the person in question was awarded a full rate Invalidity Pension (IP) with effect from the 10 April 1997 using a combination of her Irish and UK paid contributions as, according to Department records, she did not have the required 260 contributions paid to qualify under national legislation. On 6th March 2014 the person concerned was awarded a UK pension which resulted in here rate of IP being reduced. Her IP claim was subsequently review and it has been found that she now has the required 260 paid contributions in this state and was subsequently awarded full rate IP under national legislation from 6 March 2014. The person in question was notified of this decision on the 28 May 201 and arrears due issued by cheque to her on 28 May 2015.