John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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132. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of an application for the State pension (contributory) in the name of a person (details supplied); if their recent application under the homemaker's scheme makes a difference to their qualification for a State pension (contributory). [60314/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The person concerned reached pension age on 07 December 2024.

To qualify for the standard state pension (contributory) a minimum of 520 paid contributions is required in the first instance. The records of my Department show that the person concerned has 434 paid contributions which falls short of the minimum requirement.

Flexible pension arrangements are available for people who turn 66 on or after 1 January 2024. State pension may now be claimed from any date between the age of 66 and 70. As the person concerned does not qualify for state pension, it is open to them to acquire additional contributions to qualify and claim the state pension at a later date between the age of 66 and 70. The person concerned requires an additional 86 contributions to qualify.

HomeMakers and HomeCaring Periods were awarded to the person concerned. These can be used to improve a persons rate of pension. They cannot however be used to satisfy the requirement to have 520 full rate contributions.

The enhanced State pension provision for people who have been caring for incapacitated dependents for 20 years or more was introduced from 1 January 2024. In order for Long-Term Carers contributions to be reckonable for state pension, at least 1040 weeks (20 years) are required. The person concerned was awarded four years.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.