Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 March 2026
420. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a contributory pension (details supplied) is being reduced due to early teaching years of 1974-1978/1979 is being treated differently from all subsequent years of teaching contributions therefore creating a gap in the contribution record. [18158/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned reached pension age on 20 April 2021. An application for State pension (contributory) was received from them on 12 October 2023.
An interim decision letter issued on 18 December 2023 awarding the standard State Pension (contributory) with effect from 12 April 2023, 6 months backdating from the date of application as provided for in legislation. The records showed 536 full-rate contributions giving a yearly average of 11 and an entitlement to 40% of the maximum rate of pension. They were advised a final decision would issue once their record had been fully verified.
Their modified contribution record, when confirmed, resulted in a reclassification of five years of full-rate contributions (from 2008 to 2012) to modified rate contributions. In cases of overlapping contributions, contributions from primary employment take precedence over subsidiary employment for the purposes of the calculation of pension entitlement. The modified contributions therefore take precedence over the full-rate contributions in this case.
As such, their full-rate contributions fell to below the 520 needed to qualify for the standard State pension (contributory). Prior to a decision being made, a letter issued to the person concerned on 14 October 2025 to advise them of this and of their revised rate of entitlement to a pro-rate mixed insurance pension - 12.77% of the maximum rate of pension. A revised decision letter issued on 12 November 2025 advising that their payment was being reduced with effect from 21 November 2025.
While the social insurance system changed to the current pay-related social insurance system with effect from April 1979, modified-rate contributions before and after this time are treated the same in pension calculations, with only the name of the classes being different.
