Brian Brennan (Wicklow-Wexford, Fine Gael)
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352. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to the issuing of the home caring periods for a person (details supplied), if there is adequate contributions for a State pension (contributory) to be awarded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13022/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The person concerned reached pension age on 21 October 2016. An application for State Pension (contributory) was received on 27 September 2016.

Under current eligibility conditions, an individual must have 520 full-rate contributions paid in the State to qualify for standard State Pension (contributory). 520 full-rate contributions equate to 10 years of full-rate insurable employment.

The records of my Department show that the person concerned has 303 paid contributions. While they were awarded home caring periods for the period 14 October 1975 to 14 October 1987, home caring periods can only be used to improve a person’s rate of state pension (contributory) and not to satisfy the requirement to have 520 full rate contributions. As the contributions paid by the person concerned fall short of the requisite 520 full-rate contributions for the standard state pension (contributory), they do not meet the qualifying conditions.

If the person concerned has provided full-time care to incapacitated dependents for 20 years or more (1,040 weeks), it is open to them to apply for long-term carers contributions. If eligible, the equivalent of paid contributions will be attributed to cover gaps in their contribution record. The periods of caregiving do not need to be consecutive. The quickest way to apply for long-term carers contributions is online at MyWelfare.ie.

I have arranged for a copy of the social insurance record of the person concerned to issue 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 contributory pension 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 95% of the contributory pension. The quickest way to apply for this pension is online at MyWelfare.ie.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy