Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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141. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry under the invalidity pension scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1450/16]

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.

The department received a claim for IP for the person concerned on 24 September 2015. The person concerned was refused IP on the grounds that the contribution conditions for the scheme are not satisfied. She was notified on 09 October 2015 of this decision, the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal.

The person in question requested a review of the decision and submitted a P45 which was forwarded to the department’s records section for updating. In order to confirm the full contribution history of the person concerned, her case has been referred to a social welfare inspector (SWI) for investigation. Upon completion of the SWI’s investigation, the review will be processed further and a deciding officer will be in direct contact with the person in question regarding the review.