Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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288. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) was not entitled to the full contributory pension; the options available to seek an increase in their pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7860/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The person concerned is in receipt of a reduced rate state pension (contributory) with effect from their 66th birthday, based on an assessed yearly average of 24 contributions, covering the period from April 1981 to end-December 2012. According to the records of my Department, the person concerned has a social insurance record of 969 reckonable contributions and credits, and is in receipt of the correct rate of contributory pension based on this social insurance record. The person was notified in writing of their pension award on 2 April 2013.

The person has no recorded contributions for the tax years 1983/84 to 1987/88, 1992/93 to 1995/96, and 2002 to 2003 inclusive, and has less than 52 contributions for some years during their social insurance contribution history. This affects their overall yearly average and, consequently, their rate of weekly pension entitlement.

If the person concerned considers that they hold additional information which may impact on their pension eligibility, they should submit the details without delay to enable my Department to have the matter investigated.

The Deputy will be aware that the Government recently announced proposals that pensioners who qualified for state pension (contributory) since September 2012, and whose rate of entitlement was impacted by the 2012 rate band changes, may apply for a review to have their entitlement considered under a new Total Contribution Approach (TCA). It will take some time to draft and pass the necessary legislation, and then develop the systems and procedures necessary to administer the new pension entitlement option. Accordingly, it is not necessary for any person to contact the Department about their situation. Instead, the Department expects to start issuing invitations to these pensioners from late 2018 to apply for a review under the new pension eligibility arrangements, and to notify any periods spent caring for which HomeCaring credits may be due. Review applicants will be notified of the outcome of their review and any applicable higher rate of entitlement will be paid to them. Such payments are expected to commence from early 2019. Where an increase is awarded, it will be backdated to 30 March 2018.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.