Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 14 January 2026
109. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person who was wrongly advised to claim disability allowance and who has now applied for invalidity pension and has been refused due to insufficient PRSI contributions but would have had sufficient contributions at the time of application can have their claim assessed on the basis of the original application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2641/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraInvalidity Pension (IP) is payable to an insured person who satisfies certain Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions and who is permanently incapable of work due to an illness or incapacity and for no other reason.
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 Invalidity Pension 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.
Entitlement to IP is normally determined as of the date the application is received in my Department. However, in certain circumstances, an earlier application for a related Social Welfare payment such as Disability Allowance (DA) can be taken as the application date for IP where the Deciding Officer is satisfied that there is just cause for allowing such an application. In this regard, it should be noted that all other conditions governing the IP scheme must remain satisfied.
If there is a specific case that the Deputy would like my Department to consider, then they may forward the details directly to the IP Section.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
