Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 February 2026
752. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the refusal of an invalidity pension application of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9780/26]
View answerInvalidity Pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and for no other reason and who satisfy the PRSI contribution conditions.
The Department received a claim for IP for the person concerned on 1 February 2024. The claim was refused on the grounds that the conditions for the scheme were not satisfied.
To satisfy the contribution conditions for IP, claimants must have at least 260 (5 years) paid PRSI contributions (class A, E, H or S) since entering social insurance and 48 contributions paid or credited in the last or second last complete contribution year before the relevant date of their IP claim.
The relevant date is:
(a) any date after the completion of one year of continuous incapacity for work, or
(b) any lesser period that may be prescribed, subject to the conditions and in the circumstances that may be prescribed where the insured person has entered into a continuous period of incapacity for work and he or she is subsequently proved to be permanently incapable of work.
According to my Department’s records, the person concerned has no paid or credited PRSI contributions after the 2006 tax year. On 20 November 2024, a Deciding Officer (DO) decided that the relevant date for the IP claim is 2013. As the person concerned does not have the required 48 qualifying contributions paid or credited in the 2 contribution years immediately prior to 2013, the IP claim was refused on the grounds that the qualifying contribution conditions are not met. Notification issued to the person referred to on 20 November 2024 informing them of this decision, the reasons for it and of their right of review and appeal.
Following reviews on 13 October 2025, 4 November 2025 and 8 January 2026 to take account of further information submitted by the person concerned, the DO decided that the original decision on 20 November 2024 should stand following each review.
The person concerned was in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance (JA) from the Department in the period 22 April 2010 to 19 September 2014. To qualify for credited PRSI contributions for this payment, they must have been paying PRSI contributions at class A, E, H or P immediately prior to their JA claim or they must have been coming directly from another reckonable Social Welfare payment with credited PRSI contributions. The person concerned has paid PRSI contributions at Class S in the 2006 tax year and has no paid or credited PRSI contributions thereafter. Therefore, they do not qualify for credited contributions for their JA claim.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
