Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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575. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the delays in processing the State pension (contributory) due to information outstanding from the UK; and the efforts being made to work with the authorities to resolve the matter in relation to the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36412/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The person concerned applied for State pension (contributory) on 25 July 2019, in advance of reaching pension age in December 2019.  According to the records of my Department, they have a total of 320 paid full-rate Irish social insurance contributions.  Since their contributions fall short of the requisite 520 paid full-rate contributions, they do not qualify for standard State pension (contributory) based solely on their Irish social insurance record.

Under European Union regulations, insurance records of other Member States can be combined to satisfy the 520-contribution condition and give entitlement to a proportional or pro rata pension.  The person’s Irish and UK contributions were combined to establish their entitlement to an EU pro rata State pension (contributory).  They have 320 Irish paid full-rate contributions, 636 Irish credited contributions, and 1,257 UK contributions.

The rate of entitlement is based on the proportion of Irish full-rate social insurance contributions to the person’s total combined Irish and EU social insurance contributions.  The greater the number of Irish contributions paid by a person, the higher their weekly rate of EU pro rata State pension entitlement.  Conversely, a greater amount of full-rate EU contributions yields a lower rate of pro rata pension.

The person concerned was in receipt of State pension (non-contributory) from 20 December 2019 until 19 February 2020, when they opted for an Increase for qualified adult payment on their partner's payment, payable from 20 February 2020 at a lower rate than State pension (non-contributory).

On conclusion of the investigation of their Irish and UK social insurance records, the person concerned qualified for an EU pro rata State pension (contributory) at the current weekly rate of €110.40. Payment was backdated to 20 February 2020, as the rate is higher than the qualified adult payments but is less than payments made on the State pension (non-contributory) when the living alone increase and fuel allowance payable at the time were included.  They were notified in writing of this decision on 12 November 2020 and provided with a copy of their social insurance record on which the decision was based.  An application for fuel allowance has been forwarded to them.  It is open to the person concerned to re-apply for State pension (non-contributory) if they wish to do so.

The person concerned previously incurred an overpayment of jobseeker's allowance.  My Department is obliged to recover all debt owed to it as quickly as possible and within the relevant legislation and guidelines governing the recovery of debt. Pension arrears due, being the difference between qualified adult payments made from 20 February and the rate of State pension (contributory) subsequently awarded, have been withheld to offset against the person’s debt, in accordance with social welfare legislation.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.