Due to the nature of the course in Shannon, our alumni will have have worked in many different countries before retiring.
I received the following useful information from a retired graduate who suggested it would be of benefit to others:
In order to qualify for a standard rate Irish State Pension (Contributory) at age 66 a person must have:
- entered into insurable employment before age 56
- at least 520 full rate employment / self-employment contributions paid
- a yearly average of at least 10 full rate contributions paid and/or credited from date of entry into insurance to the end of the last full contribution year before reaching age 66.
If a person does not have sufficient Irish contributions they may still be entitled to a pro rata pension based on a combination of Irish contributions and social insurance covered by EU regulations (like UK) or with another country with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement. Persons apply for Irish pension via their country of residence.
Under EU Regulations a person is obliged to apply for his/her pension through the Social Security Institution of the Country where he/she is resident.
Questions about your eligibility for the Irish State Pension (Contributory) can be addressed to:
Department of Social Protection
Social Welfare Services
College Road
Sligo
Ireland
Tel: +353 (0)71 915 7100
Locall (within Ireland) : 1890 500 000
www.welfare.ie
For residents of the United Kingdom, apply to:
Department of Work and Pensions,
Pensions & Overseas Directorate,
Tyneview Park, Whitley Rd,
Benton,
Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE98 1BA
England.
Hopefully this will be of help to some alumni and many thanks to the graduate who passed it onto me.
