Written answers

Tuesday, 10 November 2020

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection

Pension Provisions

Photo of Patricia RyanPatricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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522. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the large number of pension applicants and awardees who have difficulty reconciling their employment records with their social welfare records due to insufficient revenue records before 1981; her plans to address the situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35205/20]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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It has been clarified with the Deputy's office that the question relates to a number of social insurance contributors who when applying for State Pension (Contributory) consider that their social insurance records are incomplete and, as a result, are not receiving or will not receive their expected pension entitlement.

My Department holds contributor's social insurance records. Since 1979, social insurance contributions are collected and returned to the Department under the Revenue PAYE system. Prior to this, social insurance contributions were collected by means of social insurance cards being stamped by employers for each week of employees employment and returned to the Department. All social insurance records, except those of full-time civil servants for the period pre-1979, are held by my Department.

If a person believes that there is a period of employment which is not reflected in their social insurance record, they should contact my Department outlining, in as much detail as is possible, the circumstances of the employment. That detail should, where possible, include the name of the employer, the period of time the person worked with the employer and any other relevant information which the person may have. If the person has any documentary evidence, such as P60 or P45 forms or payslips relating to the employment, a copy of such evidence should also be submitted. The address this information should be submitted to is: Client Eligibility Services Records Section, Department of Social Protection, McCarter's Road, Buncrana, Co. Donegal.

On receipt of this information, my Department will investigate to ascertain if contributions are missing from the person's social insurance record. If the investigation confirms that contributions are due, the person's record will be amended accordingly.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

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