Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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1259. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person (details supplied) is being paid the full pension. [46759/17]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The person concerned is in receipt of a reduced rate state pension (contributory) based on an assessed yearly average of 38 contributions and credits, covering the period from March 1965 to December 2014. An Increase for living alone and fuel allowance (payable during winter months) were also awarded from 4 March 2015.

According to the records of the Department, the person concerned has a social insurance record of 1932 reckonable contributions and credits and is in receipt of the correct rate of contributory pension based on this record. If the person considers that additional contributions or credits have not been recorded, it is open to them to submit documentary evidence of any missing periods of employment to my Department and their pension entitlement will be reviewed.

The person’s eligibility for the homemakers scheme is currently being examined. This scheme was introduced in 1994 to make qualification for state pension (contributory) easier for a claimant who has taken time out of the workforce for caring duties. It allows up to 20 years (since 1994) spent caring for children under 12 years of age, or for an incapacitated person(s), to be disregarded when calculating entitlement to pension. The effect of this is to reduce the number of years by which the person’s contributions are divided, thereby increasing their yearly average. If the person is found to be entitled to a home-making period, their pension entitlement will be reviewed and the person will be notified of the outcome without delay.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.