Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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77. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when she expects paper forms to be available for use by those in receipt of reduced contributory pensions post-2012 who have been unable to complete the online review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8067/19]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Since the end of September 2018, my Department has been examining the social insurance records of pensioners born on or after 1 September 1946 who have an entitlement to and are being paid a reduced State pension Contributory under post Budget 2012 rate bands.  Their rate of payment will be reviewed under recently enacted legislation.

Last month, almost 24,000 requests for additional information have been issued to pensioners. These requests includes details on how to return the required information using the Department’s online services and also provided a dedicated telephone number to to call if people had difficulty using the online application.  Details of those who called have been recorded so that paper applications could be issued to them.  Paper applications have began issuing this week to these pensioners.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the minister.

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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78. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when pension increases and back payments in relation to recent changes to the contributory pension scheme will be issued; when difficulties being experienced on the website MyWelfare.ie will be resolved; and when a paper application form inviting pensioners to fill in gaps in their records will be issued. [8007/19]

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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100. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when pension increases and back payments will be issued to those impacted by previous changes to the State pension system; her plans to address the difficulties being experienced by those affected by the website MyWelfare.ie; when paper application forms inviting pensioners to fill in gaps in their records will be available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8115/19]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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104. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if all those who qualify for a revised contributory pension will be paid the revised amount back dated to March 2018 by the end of the first quarter of 2019; if those affected by same can provide the necessary information in writing rather than online; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that persons are experiencing difficulties with the online platform; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8046/19]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 78, 100 and 104 together.

Since late September 2018, my Department has been examining the social insurance records of approximately 90,000 pensioners, born on or after 1 September 1946, who have a reduced rate State pension contributory entitlement on post Budget 2012 rate-bands.  These payments are being reviewed under a new Total Contributions Approach (TCA) to pension calculation which includes provision for homecaring periods.  My Department has already written to these pensioners to explain the process.

I have this week signed the necessary regulations, which together provisions in the Social Welfare, Pensions and Civil Registrations Act 2018, allows the increased payments to be made on foot of the reviews.  The Department has already started issuing the outcome of reviews and the first increased payments will start to issue next week, in line with my previous commitments to this House.  These increased payments will include arrears to the 30th March 2018, or the pensioner’s 66th birthday if later than that.  Where pension rates do not increase as a result of this review, they will continue to be paid at their existing rate of entitlement. No one will be worse off as a result of this review. 

Where possible, my Department will use information already held to assist in the reviews.  In some, but not all, cases additional information is required from pensioners about unexplained gaps in their social insurance record to complete their review.  In January, almost 24,000 requests for additional information were issued.  These requests included details on how to provide the required information using the Department’s online services.  Provision has been made for those who do not have access to a personal computer, or the internet, by providing a dedicated telephone number to request paper forms which will issue over the next two weeks.  I am aware that some pensioners have reported difficulties accessing the online service and this is being examined as a matter of urgency. 

I want to assure the Deputies that  regardless of when a person’s review is processed, if they are due an increase their weekly rate will be adjusted without delay and arrears paid, backdated to 30 March 2018, or the person’s 66th birthday if later.  Where a pension rate does not increase as a result of this review, the person will continue to receive their existing rate of payment.  No one will be worse off as a result of this review.  Given the numbers involved, it will take my Department a number of months to complete the reviews.  Around 120 additional temporary staff have been recruited to help with this work.     

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputies.