Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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306. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) does not qualify for maximum rate pension despite having 1,690 reckonable paid and credited contributions; the reason it is calculated as a yearly average; and the way in which this person can qualify for maximum rate pension. [39663/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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In social welfare legislation, the eligibility conditions for state pension (contributory) stipulate that an applicant must have entered insurable employment before attaining the age of 56 years, have at least 520 paid contribution weeks since entry into insurance, and:

- (for a maximum rate pension) have a yearly average of 48 paid and/or credited contributions from 1979, or from their date of entry into insurable employment, to the end of the last complete tax year preceding their 66th birthday, or

- (for a reduced rate pension) have a yearly average of at least 10 paid and/or credited contributions recorded from 1953, or from their date of entry into insurable employment (whichever is the later), to the end of the tax year preceding their 66th birthday.

According to the records of the Department, the person concerned has a total of 1,690 paid and credited contributions over a 49-year period from 1965 to December 2013. This gives her a yearly-average of 34 contributions and entitlement to a reduced rate of state pension (contributory). To qualify for a maximum rate pension, a minimum yearly average of 48 (that is at least 2,352 paid/credited contributions in this case) would be required.

It is open to the applicant to provide details relating to any gaps or omissions in her insurable employment history between 1978 and 1991. If sufficient information is furnished, an Inspector of the Department will be asked to investigate the matter. In some cases, an Inspector’s findings may result in a claimant’s insurance record being updated and their pension entitlement reviewed by a Deciding Officer.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.