Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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406. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) cannot have an invalidity pension awarded to them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44731/21]

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 for no other reason and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions.

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 year before the relevant date of their claim. Only PRSI classes A, E ,H & S contributions are reckonable for IP purposes.

A claim for IP was received from the person concerned on 22 July 2019 and most recently on 05 August 2021. She was refused IP on the grounds that the contribution conditions for the scheme are not satisfied. Specifically, she does not have the required 260 contributions paid since entering social insurance. She was notified on 28 November 2019 and 11 August 2021 respectively of the decision, the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal.

A person who has an insufficient PRSI contribution record to qualify for a social insurance benefit/pension may apply for the appropriate means-tested social assistance scheme. Disability Allowance (DA) is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged over 16 and under 66. The disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to a medical assessment, a means test and a habitual residency test.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.