Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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259. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person (details supplied) in County Kildare is not entitled to a higher weekly state pension contributory; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5654/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The person concerned reached pension age on 17 November 2022. An application for the state Pension (contributory) was received on 31 August 2022.

According to the records of my department, the person concerned has a total of 1746 reckonable contributions from 1973 to 2022. Based on this record the person concerned has a yearly aver of 38 giving entitlement to state pension (contributory) at the weekly rate of €238.50. This is the correct rate commensurate with the social insurance record as held by my Department.

To qualify for State Pension (contributory) at the maximum rate of €265.30, the person concerned would need a yearly average of at least 48 contributions.

I have arranged for a copy of the person’s social insurance record to issue 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 and their pension entitlement will be reviewed.

It is also open to them to apply for the means-tested State Pension (Non-Contributory), the maximum rate of which is over 95% of the maximum rate of the State Pension (Contributory).  I have arranged for a State Pension non-contributory application form to issue to them.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.