Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 September 2023
610. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection if a State pension (contributory) claim in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork, recently assessed, could be re-examined with a view to ascertaining if there may be some flexibility with this claim, as the person in question contends that theirs may be a ‘borderline case between two points on the payscale’. [39565/23]
View answerThe person concerned reached pension age on 13 December 2022. An application for State Pension (contributory) was received on 27 January 2023.
The rate awarded for State Pension (contributory) is based on a person's insurable record. According to the records of my Department, the person concerned has a total of 691 total reckonable contributions and credits from their date of entry into insurable employment in 1974 to the end of 2021, the tax year prior to their 66th birthday. This equates to a yearly average of 14 contributions and gives entitlement to a reduced State Pension (contributory) at the current weekly rate of €106.00. Where the rate of payment awarded is within a margin of an increased rate, there is no scope for discretion.
I have arranged for a statement of the persons social insurance record to issue to them. 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 and their pension entitlement can be reviewed.
It is also open to the person concerned to apply for the means-tested state pension (non-contributory), the maximum rate of which equates to 95% of the maximum rate of state pension (contributory).
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
