Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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1478. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the circumstances under which or reason a person can avail of ten years credited contributions, which is distinct from the 20 years allowed for home making and caring duties, in relation to the total contributions approach for the contributory pension (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16687/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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PRSI contributions can be credited to people in a number of contexts, for example when in receipt of a Jobseekers or Illness benefit payments. Where applicable, these may be used towards PRSI-based social protection payments, including the State pension contributory. To qualify for a credit you must have worked and paid at least one PRSI contribution at PRSI Class A, B, C, D, E, or H and have paid or credited contributions in either of the last two completed tax years. Not all credits are reckonable for a State pension contributory.

Under the interim Total Contributions Approach announced in January, a person who reached pension age after 1 September 2012 and has a 40 year record of paid and credited social insurance contributions, subject to a maximum of 20 years of credits, will qualify for a maximum contributory pension where they satisfy the other qualifying conditions for the scheme.

Up to 20 years of HomeCaring credits, and/or 10 years of other qualifying credits, for example when unemployed or ill, may be used, subject to the total number of credits not exceeding 20 years.

So, for example, a person might receive a maximum pension based on 20 years paid PRSI contributions, 5 years jobseeker credits, and 15 years HomeCaring Credits, over a 50 year period.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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1479. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the number years in addition to the number of months a person has worked will be taken into consideration under the total contribution approach to calculating entitlement to the contributory pension (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16688/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The interim Total Contributions Approach (TCA) which will apply to those affected by the change in rate bands in September 2012, and before the full TCA comes in from 2020, will see entitlements based on the pensioner’s total contributions. While the details regarding the operation of the scheme have to be finalised, and based on a total of 40 years of contributions (comprising both qualifying and credited contributions), someone with 36 years and 8 months contributions would be expected to receive a pension of approximately 91.67%, and someone with 36 years and 4 months would be expected to receive a pension of approximately 90.83%. This does not take into consideration any additional credited contributions either party may be entitled to depending on their particular circumstances. It will be possible to give details of payment rates only when the legislation has been finalised and the particular personal records have been examined.

The details of the Total Contributions Approach to determining rate of pay to those who reach state pension age from 2020 onwards will be finalised following a public consultation with relevant stakeholders over the coming months.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.