Written answers

Wednesday, 22 January 2025

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection

Pension Provisions

Photo of Robert TroyRobert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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843. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) who is 25% short on reckonable contributions, should experience a significant reduction in their contributory pension, having worked in the HSE for 40 years. [46276/24]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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In general, public servants who joined prior to 6 April 1995 paid modified contributions which are not reckonable for the standard state pension (contributory). However, such employees generally have an occupational pension, the level of which is related to a number of factors, including years of service.

The person concerned reached pension age on 27 September 2023. An application for State Pension (contributory) was received on 27 June 2023.

Under current eligibility conditions, an individual must have at least 520 full-rate paid contributions in order to qualify for the 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 356 full-rate contributions which falls short of the requisite 520 full-rate contributions necessary for the standard State Pension (contributory).

Entitlement to a Mixed Insurance pension was then examined. This is based on 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.

According to the records of my department, the person concerned has a total of 356 full-rate contributions, 92 full-rate credits, 2,011 modified-rate contributions and 14 modified-rate credits from 1975 to 2023. This gave entitlement to a mixed insurance pension at the current weekly rate of €50.30 which is 18.12% of the maximum rate.

In April 2024, the person concerned appealed this decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO). The decision of my department was upheld. The person concerned was notified of the outcome of their appeal in October 2024.

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 one of the following:

  • The means-tested State Pension (Non-Contributory) which is a means-tested payment (based on their share of household means) with a maximum payment of 95% of the State pension (contributory); or
  • An increase for a qualified adult (based on their own means), amounting up to 90% of a full rate State Pension (contributory) pension where their spouse has a contributory pension.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

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