Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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265. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when an application will be processed for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45189/17]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The person concerned was awarded a state pension (contributory) on 20 October 2017, with effect from 4 October 2017, their 66th birthday. Written notification of this decision, together with the amount of arrears due, issued to the person concerned on 20 October 2017.

The person concerned has been awarded a (reduced rate) state pension (contributory), based on an assessed yearly average of 27 contributions, covering the period December 1968 to December 2016. According to the records of my Department, the person concerned has a social insurance record of 1,337 reckonable paid and credited contributions. There are gaps in the insurance record for the years 1969 to 1980, 1997/98, 2001 to 2003, 2005 to 2007, and for the year 2016. These gaps impact on the overall yearly average of the person concerned and consequently the rate of weekly pension entitlement.

If the person considers that additional contributions or credits have not been recorded, it is open to them to forward documentary evidence of the missing periods of employment to my Department and their pension entitlement will be reviewed.

The person concerned has also been awarded a corresponding rate of weekly entitlement to increase for qualified adult, in respect of their spouse, together with fuel allowance (payable during winter months) to help with their heating needs. Both increase for qualified adult and fuel allowance are means tested payments.

The person concerned and their spouse, who is also over age 66, may have entitlement to the means tested state pension (non-contributory) in their own right. Separate application forms have been issued to the person concerned and their spouse for completion. On return of these application forms, their individual entitlement to state pension (non-contributory) will be assessed and they will each be notified of the outcome in writing. The higher rate of pension entitlement will be paid.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.