Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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65. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the qualifying PRSI contributions required for the over-65s benefit payment can be assessed using a person's whole term of employment and not the contributions in the governing contribution year to cater for those who would not qualify for a social welfare payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61063/22]

Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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75. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a review has taken place in respect of the issue concerning class S PRSI contributions arising solely from personal pensions and the implications for those who are applying for the benefit payment for 65-year-olds; if it will be acknowledged that these persons are not self-employed and should be considered for this payment if all other criteria are met; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61196/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 65 and 75 together.

The Benefit Payment for 65 Year Olds, provided under the Jobseeker's Benefit schemes, was introduced in line with the Programme for Government commitment to address the position of people who are required to or choose to retire at age 65 before the pension age of 66.

The payment is designed to bridge the gap for people who retire from employment or self-employment at 65 until they qualify for the State Pension at age 66.  The social insurance contribution requirements are not as high as those required for receipt of the State Pension, and people retiring at age 65, given they have a recent attachment to the workforce, should, in most cases meet the required PRSI conditionality.

Applicants must satisfy the statutory PRSI conditionality for payment which includes having a specified number of contributions paid in the Governing Contribution Year (GCY), which is the second last complete tax year.  For example, for a claim in 2022, the second last complete tax year is 2020.  A person must have paid 104 PRSI insurable employment contributions at class A, H or P or paid 156 class S contributions if they are self-employed.  The second contribution condition requires that a person must also have 39 reckonable contributions paid or credited in the GCY.  At least 13 of these contributions must be paid.  Where a person does not have 13 paid contributions in the GCY they can be from 2 years before the GCY, the last complete tax year or the current tax year; or they have at least 26 reckonable contributions paid in both the GCY and the year immediately preceding the GCY. In the case of the self-employed there is a requirement to have 52 contributions in the GCY.

The reason for the requirement to have paid contributions in the manner set out in legislation is to demonstrate a recent attachment to the workforce. 

Where a person does not satisfy the contribution requirement for receipt of this payment, they may be eligible to apply for support under the means tested Jobseeker's Allowance scheme subject to satisfying the conditions for that scheme.

On the wider issue of entitlement to Jobseekers Benefit (Self-Employed), I have recently signed a Regulation to provide that self-employed contributors who have lost their usual self-employed occupation and who are in receipt of an Approved Retirement Fund may now be eligible for Jobseekers Benefit (Self-Employed) in certain circumstances. This includes people at age 65 years who are applying for the Benefit Payment for 65 Year Olds, where they satisfy the other conditions of the scheme.

The Minister has advised her intention to explore the design of a scheme to modify the current Benefit Payment for 65-year-olds to provide a benefit payment for people who, following a long working life, 40 years or more, are not in a position to remain working in their early 60s.  Proposals from this process will be considered in due course. 

I trust that this clarifies the position.