Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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134. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the application process under the invalidity pension scheme where a person (details supplied) lives in County Derry and is employed in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4293/16]

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. EU Regulations provide that insurance contributions made in any other EU Member State may be aggregated with Irish contributions in order to satisfy the contribution conditions. In addition to satisfying the contribution criteria for IP, claimants must also satisfy the medical criteria.

A claim for invalidity pension (IP) was received from the person concerned on the 29 October 2015. The person in question satisfies the contribution conditions for receipt of IP, having sufficient PRSI contributions paid in the State.

In order to determine her medical eligibility, the Department has issued a request to the Department for Social Development, Social Security Agency, Overseas Benefits Unit, Belfast to have an in-person medical assessment conducted. On receipt of the completed medical report from Northern Ireland, the person’s medical eligibility for IP will be determined and a decision will be made on the claim. The person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.