303. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number in receipt of the State pension, contributory, in the pre-2012 rate bands by gender; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43937/19]

According to the records available to my Department, as at 30 September 2019 there were 222,455 state pension (contributory) claimants in receipt of a state pension (contributory) (SPC) based on the pre-2012 rate bands.

Under social welfare legislation, there are a number of ways to qualify for a State pension (contributory).  In the majority of cases, the rate of pension entitlement is determined by the ‘yearly average’ of social insurance contributions a person achieves over their working life.  In order to qualify for a maximum rate of pension, an applicant should have a yearly average of 48 paid and/or credited contributions from 1979, or from their date of entry into insurable employment, to the end of the last complete tax year preceding the year they turn pension age.

The following table provides a breakdown by gender of the current State pension (contributory) personal payments based on pre-September 2012 rate bands.

In other SPC cases, pension entitlement is determined using other eligibility criteria.  For example, a person who is in receipt of Invalidity Pension at maximum rate immediately prior to their 66th birthday will automatically transfer to the maximum rate of State pension (contributory) on reaching pension age.

The following table shows the breakdown of such cases by gender.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.