Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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405. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the progress to date in liaising with her counterpart in Hungary with a view to assessing contributions for the purpose of qualifying for an invalidity pension in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61844/22]

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 who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions.

The Department received a claim for IP for the person concerned on 28 July 2022. 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 years before the relevant date of their claim.

The person in question does not have the required 260 paid PRSI contributions in Ireland. The claim was refused under national legislation on the grounds that the contribution conditions for the scheme are not satisfied. As the person concerned had previously worked in Hungary, a request was made to the Hungarian Authorities on 29 August 2022 for his Hungarian contribution record. To date the requested information has not been received from the Hungarian Authorities and this information was requested again on 05 December 2022.

Unfortunately, claims processed under Bilateral/EU Regulations are more complex and can take longer to finalise as the Department is highly dependent on receiving necessary information from other states. The Department will continue to endeavour to establish the entitlement of the person in question and he will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.