George Lawlor (Wexford, Labour)
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374. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will arrange for a definitive answer to be provided to a person (details supplied) who has been in touch with his Department over the past several months seeking to determine her eligibility for a State pension (contributory); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67665/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The person concerned reached pension age on 16 July 2013. There is no record of receipt of an application for state pension contributory or state pension non-contributory from the person concerned.

Correspondence issued on 19 May 2020 from my Department advising the person concerned that their employment from 1 January 2003 to 30 June 2011 was not insurable under social welfare legislation and that there was nil PRSI liability for this period. The Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (as amended) Schedule 1 Part 2 (1) provides that employment in the service of a spouse or partner is an excepted employment for the payment of PRSI.

The person concerned was also advised that if they did not agree that they were in the employment of their spouse, a sole trader, the case could be referred to a Social Welfare Inspector to be investigated as a business partnership. It is still open to them to request this.

It is also open to the spouse of the person concerned to apply for a qualified adult increase on their state pension contributory pension for the person concerned. The increase for a qualified adult is a means tested payment based on the means of the qualified adult.

Alternatively, the person concerned could apply for the 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). The quickest way to apply is online at MyWelfare.ie if the person has a verified MyGovID account.

I have arranged for application forms for a qualified adult increase on State pension contributory and the state pension non-contributory to be sent to the person concerned.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.