Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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527. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal can expect a decision on an invalidity pension application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7415/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Invalidity pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions.

The department received a claim for IP for the person concerned on 27 February 2019. To qualify for IP a claimant must, inter-alia, have at least 260 (5 years) paid PRSI contributions since entering social insurance and 48 contributions paid or credited in the last or second last complete contribution years before the relevant date of their claim. It was decided the relevant date of the claim in question is 2019 and he does not have the required 48 paid or credited contributions in the last or second last year before the relevant date of his claim. The claim was refused under national legislation on the grounds that the contribution conditions for the scheme are not satisfied. As his last employment was under the legislation of the United Kingdom (UK), it was decided under Chapter 4, Article 44(2) of EU regulation 883/04 that his claim for IP was proper to the UK Authorities and his claim was transferred to the UK social security authorities on 21 August 2019.

The Department was informed by the UK Authorities on 23 January 2020 that he did not qualify for UK Employment Support Allowance (ESA) payment due to the contribution criteria and his claim was re examined by the IP section under Article 44(3) of EU regulation 883/04 and a request was sent to the UK Authorities on 03 March 2020 for his UK insurance record. The official documentation required is the E205UK which gives a breakdown year by year of the number of contributions and credits he has in Northern Ireland. This information was requested again on 20 May 2020, 01 September 2020, 11 November 2020 and 06 January 2021. To date the requested information has not been received from the UK Authorities.

Unfortunately, claims processed under Bilateral/EU Regulations are more complex and can take longer to finalise as the Department is highly dependent on receiving necessary information from other states. The Department will continue to endeavour to establish the entitlement of the person in question and he will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.