Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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171. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will review the level of widow's contributory pension in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30878/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Entitlement to widow’s contributory pension is based on either the social insurance record of the widow or that of their deceased spouse. Their social insurance records cannot be combined to establish entitlement.

The social insurance record of the person concerned consists of 129 paid and credited insurance contributions in respect of the period between 1974 and 1976. This record is not sufficient to qualify the person for pension in their own right. The Department has contacted the Department of Work and Pensions in the UK requesting the person’s UK social insurance record. When received, pension entitlement based on a combination of Irish and UK social insurance contributions will be examined.

The person concerned was awarded a widow’s contributory pension, under EU Regulations, with effect from the 3 April 2015, based on the combined social insurance contributions paid and credited by the person’s late husband in Ireland and in the United Kingdom.

Payment of this pension has not yet commenced because the person concerned has not yet notified the Department of their preferred payment method which was requested in June of this year. A reminder has recently issued to the person concerned.