Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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708. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the entitlements for an Irish citizen who has been living and working in the USA for a number of years and wishes to return home to Ireland on a full-time basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47408/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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A person's social protection entitlements on coming to live in Ireland depends on the person's individual circumstances, including their age, and contribution history. For example, if they have a recent contribution history in Ireland, they may qualify for a contribution based benefit based on their Irish record.

Ireland has a bilateral social security agreement with the United States of America (USA). The main purpose of the bilateral agreements on social security is to protect the pension rights of persons who have paid social insurance contributions in Ireland and have reckonable periods in the other country. If the person has paid contributions both in USA and in Ireland the combined record may be taken into account for certain benefits.

If a person does not have an entitlement to a contribution based payment but is habitually resident in Ireland, and meets all other scheme conditionally, they may have an entitlement to a social assistance scheme.

A person living in Ireland may also qualify for benefits such as Free Travel and Household Benefits subject to satisfying the qualifying conditions.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.