Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 February 2026
851. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 109 of 14 January 2026, if he will examine the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11914/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraInvalidity 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 pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions.
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.
An application for IP was received from the person concerned on 20 May 2025. The application was refused on 6 August 2025 on the grounds that the qualifying conditions for the scheme are not satisfied. Notification issued to the person referred to on 6 August 2025 informing them of the decision, the reasons for it and of their right of review and appeal.
Following a review on 21 August 2025 to take account of additional medical evidence for the claim, a Deciding Officer decided that the original decision should stand. The person concerned had also appealed the decision to refuse their claim and their file was sent to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO) on 21 August 2025 for further determination by an Appeals Officer (AO). The AO allowed the appeal on 4 November 2025 finding the person concerned medically eligible for IP subject to all other conditions being satisfied.
Following the AO decision, a DO decided that the relevant date for the claim was 2018. As the person concerned does not have any paid or or credited contributions in either of the 2 contribution years immediately prior to 2018, the IP claim was refused on 10 November 2025 on the grounds that the qualifying contribution conditions for IP are not met. Notification issued to the person referred to on 10 November 2025 informing them of this decision, the reasons for it and of their right of review and appeal.
Following reviews on 27 November 2025 and 11 December 2025, the DO decided that the original decision on 10 November 2025 should stand following each review.
An application for Disability Allowance was received by my Department from the person concerned on 24 April 2019. My Department has no evidence that the person concerned was wrongly advised in making this application. The person in question has no paid or credited PRSI contributions since the 2015 contribution year and would not have satisfied the qualifying contribution conditions for IP at the time of their DA application date.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
