James Geoghegan
Ceist:728. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Social Protection to review correspondence from a person (details supplied) regarding pensions;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8084/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 4 February 2026
Ceisteanna (728)
Freagraí scríofa
The Government acknowledges the important role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting them in that role. Accordingly, carers are not excluded from access to the State pension (contributory). Once a person has met the minimum requirement of 520 paid contributions, the State pension system gives significant recognition to those whose work history includes extended periods in a full-time caring role.
The previous Government established the Pension Commission in November 2020 to review the State Pension system, examine the sustainability of the State Pension and the Social Insurance Fund and make recommendations for its future. The Commission was an independent body comprised of knowledgeable and experienced academics, pension experts, members of civil society and representatives of workers and employers.
The Pensions Commission was asked to consider how people who have provided long-term care for incapacitated dependants could be accommodated within the State Pension system. The Commission engaged in a public consultation process and had the benefit of presentations from Family Carer’s Ireland and the National Women’s Council in forming its recommendations on the proposals and the period of care. The Commission recommended that long-term carers should be given access to the SPC and defined long-term caring as caring for more than 20 years. Setting the criteria of more than 20 years is in recognition of the existing access to SPC for carers who may have up to 20 years of caring periods.
Since January 2024, long-term carer's contributions can be awarded to a person who has cared for an incapacitated person for a period of 20 years or more. These contributions are treated in the same as paid contributions for SPC entitlement only and can be used to fill any gaps in a person's contribution record, including satisfying the minimum 520 contributions required for eligibility.
Where a person has less than 20 years caring, they may be entitled to avail of up to 20 years HomeCaring periods or the Homemakers scheme or rely on PRSI credits subject to existing qualification conditions of having 520 paid contributions. All caring periods that are registered with my Department will be recorded on a person's contribution record.
The records of my Department show the person concerned has 316 Irish paid contributions, 630 Irish credited contributions while caring, in addition to 1053 French paid contributions and 91 French credited contributions (giving them an entitlement to pension from that jurisdiction).
A decision letter issued on 30 May 2023 to advise they did not qualify for the standard contributory pension based on their Irish contribution record as they had less than the 520 paid contributions required to qualify. Their entitlement to a pro-rata EU pension was then examined and they were found to have entitlement to 45% of the maximum rate of pension. A decision letter issued on 4 July 2023 to advise that while they qualified for the pro-rata state pension, it was financially more beneficial to remain on the Carer's Allowance. The pro-rata state pension was subsequently awarded with effect from 24 April 2025 when the Carer's Allowance ended.
As the person concerned spent significant periods of their working life in another EU country, EU Regulations provide that contributions paid in that country may be used to calculate entitlement to a pro-rate pension from Ireland. The 630 credited contributions awarded for the period when they were caring in this State increased their entitlement from my Department under the pro-rata calculation, giving a current entitlement of €134.40.
I am satisfied that the relevant information for carers is available on both the Government and Citizens Information websites. The information is regularly reviewed and updated, as necessary.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.