asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in deciding an application for a contributory old age pension by a person (name supplied) in County Galway.

The person concerned will not reach pensionable age for old age contributory pension purposes until October next. A claim for retirement pension, however, was received from him on 25th November, 1976. On his record under the insurance number supplied by him he does not satisfy the statutory contribution conditions for the receipt of pension.

A search has been made without success in the Department's records in an endeavour to trace any other insurance record he may have had which could be taken into account for pension purposes and his case has been referred to the local social welfare officer for inquiries as to whether there were any periods of employment for which contributions were due but not paid, or as to whether he had any earlier insurance under a different insurance number which might enable him to qualify for pension.

3.