Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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167. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will further review the pension application in the name of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26700/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The person concerned reached pension age on 19 June 2020.

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 204 full-rate contributions which falls short of the requisite 520 full-rate contributions for the standard State pension (contributory).

To qualify for a mixed insurance pension based on their full-rate and modified rate contributions, 520 employment contributions are required, of which at least 260 must be full-rate employment contributions with the remainder made up of modified rate contributions. As the person concerned has 204 full-rate contributions, this falls short of the requisite 260 full rate contributions required for the mixed insurance pension.

The application for state pension (contributory) was disallowed. The decision letter issued to the person concerned on 16 April 2020.

The person concerned submitted a further application for the state pension (contributory) on 11 January 2024. Following a review of their contribution record, no additional contributions were included in their record. As the person concerned has a total of 204 full-rate contributions, the decision with regard to their pension entitlement remains unchanged.

This office was notified on 6 June 2024 that the person concerned has lodged an appeal with the social welfare appeals office (SWAO). The SWAO functions independently of my Department and Appeals Officers are independent in their decision-making functions. The SWAO will be in touch with the person concerned in relation to the progress of their appeal.

I have arranged for a copy of their social insurance record to issue to them along with a detailed explanatory note to assist in understanding their record, and information on how to calculate entitlement to state pension (contributory). If they consider that there are additional contributions or credits that have not been recorded, it is open to them to forward documentary evidence to Social Welfare Services, College Road, Sligo, F91 T384.

Where a person aged 66 or over does not satisfy the conditions to qualify for a state pension (contributory) or qualifies for less than the maximum rate, they may instead qualify for the state pension (Non-Contributory) which is a means-tested payment with a maximum payment of 96% of the state pension (contributory)

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.