Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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139. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if pension entitlements accrued in Spain can be transferred to a person's (details supplied) entitlement in this jurisdiction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41729/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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EU Regulations provide for the inclusion of social insurance periods a person has incurred in another Member State(s), in a combined Irish/EU record, for the purposes of state pension contributory (SPC) eligibility. Taking the combined record into account, and subject to their satisfaction of the standard SPC eligibility conditions set out in domestic legislation, a claimant may qualify for a reduced-rate ‘pro-rata’ EU state pension (contributory) under EU Regulations.

All such applications are first assessed under Irish legislation, on the basis of the claimant’s Irish contributions record only, then separately under EU legislation, using the pro-rata calculation method. If the eligibility conditions are satisfied, the most financially beneficial pension entitlement is awarded.