Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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154. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person (details supplied) with a diagnosis of albinism who is in receipt of a disability allowance but does not have the stamps to qualify for invalidity pension, has an entitlement to apply for an invalidity pension on medical grounds. [51429/21]

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.

There are a number of conditions that must be satisfied to qualify for IP, which include that a claimant must 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. 

The qualifying  PRSI contribution is laid down in social welfare legislation and  must be satisfied in order to be considered eligible for IP.

The most recent claim for IP was received from the person concerned on 29 September 2021.  He was refused IP on the grounds that the contribution conditions for the scheme are not satisfied.  Specifically, he does not have the required 260 contributions paid since entering social insurance. The Department's records indicate that he has a total of 99 contributions paid.

An applicant for IP must satisfy the contribution requirements for the scheme before any consideration can be given to their medical suitability for IP. 

The person in question was notified of the decision to refuse IP on 04/10/2021, the reasons for it and his right of review and appeal.  The person concerned was also afforded the opportunity to furnish full details of his employment record in Ireland and abroad if he feels his PRSI contribution record is incomplete.

I hope this clarifies the position.