Eligibility may affect you
December 5, 2011MEDIA RELEASE
Changes to PENSIONS ELIGIBILITY
Effective September 2012 changes to Average PRSI contribution requirements for a State Pensions will result in a new 6 tier payment structure.
Based on today’s rates this will mean lower payments for those who retire from 1st September 2012. The changes as now set out will range from €4.20-€22.70 per week. Taken on their own these cuts will create hardship for many older people especially for those who have broken PRSI records. Many women fall into this category and unless the change is accompanied by a determined effort to look at their unique positions they will badly affected.
Máiréad Hayes, CEO of the ISCP, called on Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton T.D. to examine these proposals which were unveiled for the first time today and to engage in consultation with Older People and their organisations on the matter.
ENDS
for further information contact:
Mairead Hayes Tel: (01) 8561243
Chief Executive Officer 086 349 8848
Irish Senior Citizens Parliament 5th December 2011
I have just discovered this hidden cut yesterday – this will directly affect me as I returned to the workforce after 20 years + having raised my children and therefore when I come to pension age in over 4 years time I will have an average of 22 contributions per year – therefore I will only receive €196 instead of €225.80. I think this is a really disgraceful cut – particularly on women who raised their children in the 70s and 80s! There is a new scheme now for Homemakers and they get credits for the years they spend minding their children – I agree with this but feel that the older women like myself are being discriminated against by this mean cut by a Labour Minister! I am disgusted with this Government – all they seem to be able to do is cut people who have worked all their lives and will find themselves with barely enough to manage when they do retire!