Brendan Ryan (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1233. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) ceased receiving credits on their PRSI record despite having received them for a number of years and being continuously on carer's allowance; her plans to investigate same; if the credits will be awarded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46416/17]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

PRSI credited contributions (“credits”) are an integral part of the social insurance system. For the most part they are linked to having an underlying entitlement to a social welfare payment while temporarily detached from the labour force or having entitlement to statutory leave e.g. parental or maternity leave. The primary purpose of PRSI credits is to secure social welfare benefits and pensions of employees by covering gaps in insurance where they are not in a position to pay PRSI such as during periods of unemployment, illness, etc.

In order to qualify for credits, a person must first have entered insurable employment - he or she must have paid at least one reckonable PRSI contribution at Class A, B, C, D, E, H or P.

If, at any stage since starting work, a person has no reckonable PRSI contributions paid or credited for 2 full tax years in a row, that person cannot get credits until they return to employment and pay reckonable PRSI contributions for 26 weeks. Contributions paid at Class S, i.e. as a self-employed person, cannot be used to satisfy this condition.

A carer’s entitlement to credits is normally ascertained when caring ceases. Current entitlement to credits has been examined and I can confirm that the person concerned qualifies for credits from 5 June 2008 to 1 November 2017. Her record is being updated accordingly.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.