Written Answers. - Parliamentary Debates - Houses of the Oireachtas

Questions— 14 February 2012. Written Answers
The scheme will not, of itself, qualify a person for a pension. The standard qualifying conditions,
which require a person to enter insurance ten years before pension age, pay a minimum
of 260 contributions at the correct rate and achieve a yearly average of at least 10 contributions
on their record from the time they enter insurance until they reach pension age, must also be
satisfied. From April 2012, 520 contributions (10 years) will be required.
I am currently considering the introduction of a system of home-maker’s credits to replace
the current disregard from 2012 and allow backdating to 1994 for the purpose of the averaging
system that will continue until the total contributions system is introduced in 2020. This would
represent a significant improvement whereby people reaching pension age could have credits
rather than disregards applied to their records to cover periods of care since 1994 (up to a
maximum of 20 years).
Departmental Correspondence
336. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection when she intends meeting
with the Irish Postmaster’s Union; the reason it has not got a meeting to date despite
initially requesting a meeting nearly a year ago; and if she will make a statement on the
matter. [7970/12]
Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Joan Burton): I have scheduled a meeting with the
General Secretary of the Irish Postmaster’s Union (IPU) in March and look forward to
exchanging views with them at that meeting. I was unable to meet sooner due to a heavy
schedule of Government and Oireachtas commitments.
Social Welfare Appeals
337. Deputy Ann Phelan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will investigate the
case of a person (details supplied) in County Carlow in respect of their appeal for supplementary
welfare allowance which has been ongoing since July 2011; and if she will make a statement
on the matter. [7971/12]
Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Joan Burton): The Social Welfare Appeals Office has
advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who
proposes to hold an oral hearing in this case. There has been a very significant increase in the
number of appeals received by the Social Welfare Appeals Office since 2007 when the intake
was 14,070 to 2010 and 2011 when the intake rose to 32,432 and 31,241 respectively. This has
significantly impacted on the processing time for appeals which require oral hearings and, in
order to be fair to all appellants, they are dealt with in strict chronological order.
While every effort is being made to deal with the large numbers awaiting oral hearing as
quickly as possible, it is not possible to give a date when the person’s oral hearing will be
heard, but s/he will be informed when arrangements have been made. The Social Welfare
Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department
and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare
entitlements.
Social Welfare Benefits
338. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will confirm if she
carried out poverty-proofing before deciding to cut emergency needs payment to those on lowincomes
as contained in a recent circular to community welfare officers; if she will review this
decision as a matter of urgency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7986/12]
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