Social Welfare Eligibility
Seanad Éireann — 2026-07-09
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Maria Byrne (FG), Agricultural Panel

Teachers nowadays will qualify for the State pension, as we heard in the Minister of State's response, but there is a small anomaly. A small cohort are affected by the issue I have raised. They still face the same rising costs. They made lower PRSI contributions in the past. However, they are living alone. They still have heating and grocery bills and other bills coming in the door. There should be a review of the system. Perhaps exceptional circumstances could be examined for this small cohort. They have the same bills as everybody else, yet do not qualify for payments. I understand it is because they paid a lower rate of PRSI. However, given the cost of living and rising costs the policy should be reviewed. I would like the Minister of State to ask the Minister to look at reviewing it.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-07-09/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:55:11+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-07-09