Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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151. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if stamps from an ESB pension can be converted to stamps for a contributory pension; if stamps can be bought towards a contributory pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12243/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Following contact by an official of my Department with the Deputy's office, I understand that the question relates to an individual social insurance contributor.

During his employment with the ESB, the person concerned was paying the modified class D social insurance rate that applied to public servants who were recruited prior to 6th April 1995. This class of social insurance gives contributors access to a limited range of social insurance benefits such as carer’s benefit, guardian’s payment (contributory), occupational injury benefit, parents’ benefit and widow’s, widowers or surviving civil partner’s (contributory) pension. It does not give entitlement to the State pension (contributory).

As social insurance contributions are made in accordance with the legislation in force at the time they are made, there is no provision to retrospectively convert the class of social insurance to another class of social insurance or to facilitate contributors making additional payments in order to establish an entitlement to the State pension (contributory).

Persons under the pensionable age of 66 who cease to be covered by compulsory social insurance either as an employee or as a self-employed person may opt to become insured on a voluntary basis and pay voluntary contributions provided certain contribution conditions are satisfied. The class of voluntary contributions that applies is based on the last class of compulsory social insurance paid prior to becoming a voluntary contributor. There is no provision for the payment of voluntary contributions whilst simultaneously participating in compulsory insurable employment.

I understand that following the cessation of his employment with the ESB in 2016, the person concerned commenced employment in January 2017 and is making social insurance contributions at class A.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.