Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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443. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the details of any proposed change in calculating the State pension (contributory) moving from the total contributions approach and yearly average methods to the total contributions approach only method; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47731/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Pensions Commission was established in November 2020 to examine sustainability and eligibility issues with the State Pension and the Social Insurance Fund, in fulfilment of a Programme for Government commitment.

As part of its Terms of Reference, the Commission was tasked with considering options to meet the Programme for Government commitment to introduce a Total Contributions Approach.

The Commission has now concluded its work and has submitted its final report to me. The report itself is extremely detailed, running to several hundred pages, and covers a range of complex matters in relation to the Pensions system which will require very careful consideration. I will bring the report to Cabinet in the near future, after which the report will be published. The Government is committed to taking action having regard to the recommendations of the Commission within six months.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy at this time.