Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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832. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person (details supplied) in County Cork is entitled to homemaker's credits in respect of the period of time spent rearing their family; if the cumulative number of contributions paid including homemaking credits give them an entitlement to a State pension (contributory) or a reduced level of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63169/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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According to the records of my Department, the person concerned reached pension age on 17 March 2009.  The Department has no record of an application for the State pension contributory or State Pension non-contributory. 

Under current eligibility conditions, an individual must have 520 full-rate paid contributions in order to qualify for standard State pension (contributory).  520 full-rate contributions equate to 10 years of full-rate insurable employment.  According to the records of my Department the person concerned has a total of 381 full-rate contributions which falls short of the requisite 520 paid full-rate contributions.

It is considered reasonable to require people claiming a contributory pension to have paid at least 10 years contributions over the term of their working life, before qualifying for a payment.  This was also endorsed by the Commission on Pensions.

Both the homemaker’s scheme and home caring credits can be used to improve a person’s rate of pension entitlement.  However, a person must satisfy the qualifying conditions for State Pension (contributory) to avail of these.

Following previous representations a copy of the person’s social insurance record has issued to them.  If the person considers that additional contributions or credits have not been recorded, it is open to them to forward documentary evidence to my Department along with an application for State Pension (contributory). 

It is also open to the person concerned to apply for the means-tested State pension (non-contributory).  The maximum rate of this pension is set at approximately 95% of the State pension (contributory) rate.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.