Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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1078. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of her Department’s engagement with the Spanish pensions office to obtain information regarding the work and pension contributions history in Spain of an Irish citizen (details supplied) who is having difficulties in gaining a response from the Spanish pensions office. [28943/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The person applied for a State Pension Contributory on the 15 December 2020.

In April 2021, the number of paid contributions required to qualify for a state pension (contributory) increased from 260 to 520.  As the person concerned turned 66 years of age prior to April 2021, to qualify for the State pension (contributory) they required at least 260 paid contributions and satisfy a yearly average test (a yearly average of 48 contributions paid and/or credited is required for a maximum rate pension).

According to the records of my Department the person concerned has 253 reckonable paid contributions. As this is less than the 260 required, they did not qualify for a state Pension (Contributory) payment.

Where an applicant was employed in another EU Member State, or in a country with which Ireland has a bilateral social security agreement, their insured periods in those countries may be combined with their Irish insurance to assess their entitlement to a pro-rata state pension (contributory).

My Department forwarded the Irish insurance record of the person concerned to the pensions authority in Spain and the UK.  On receipt of their insurance record from the UK and Spanish pension authorities, their pension entitlement was re-examined.  An EU pro rata state pension (contributory) was awarded from 19 June 2020 at the current weekly rate of €36.30.  Following the receipt of further information from the UK authorities, the state pension (contributory) claim was reviewed and backdated to 9 June 2006, the first payment date after reaching pension age.  Arrears covering the period 9 June 2006 to 18 June 2020 issued last week.  The person concerned was notified of this in writing.

It should be noted that it is also open to the person concerned to apply for the means-tested state pension (non-contributory), the maximum rate of which is over 95% that of the maximum rate of the state pension (contributory).

Calculation and payment of a Spanish pension is a matter for the pension authority in Spain.  

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.