Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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436. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if a review in respect of eligibility for invalidity pension will be undertaken in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10246/17]

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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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 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 lady concerned on 10 January 2017. She was refused IP on the grounds that the contribution conditions for the scheme are not satisfied. She was notified on 21 February 2017 of this decision, the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal.

The lady referred to is in receipt of disability allowance (DA) since 11 November 2015 at a reduced rate, because of her means. Where there is a gap of more than two complete tax years in a social insurance record, a person is not eligible for credited contributions until they have worked and paid PRSI contributions for another 26 weeks.

As the lady concerned does not have any contributions paid or credited in the years 2013 to date, she does not have an entitlement to credited PRSI contributions for the period that she has been on DA.

On foot of your representation a review of the decision of 21 February 2017 has been completed and it has been decided that there is no change to the original decision. The lady concerned was notified on 24 February 2017 of the outcome of the review and of her right to appeal the decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office within 21 days.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.