Misleading Irish Times article

This Irish Times article contains incorrect information regarding qualification for the State Contributory Pension.

It states that 10 years of Prsi contributions are required.
It states that these can be made up using credited contributions and voluntary contributions.

This is incorrect. Credited contributions are not allowed. The minimum of 520 contributions must be paid contributions.

It is also incorrect because Voluntary contributions are only allowed when a person already has 520 paid contributions.

"your PRSI payments will qualify you for some form of a State pension, albeit less than the full weekly payment, as long as you have a minimum of 10 years’ payment which, in your case, means working (or getting PRSI credits or paying voluntary stamps) until just shy of your 67th birthday."

Perhaps an email to dominic.coyle@irishtimes.com ?

S class said:

It is also incorrect because Voluntary contributions are only allowed when a person already has 520 paid contributions.

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Did not know that. Thanks for highlighting

@S class - is this information incorrect?

2. Paid a certain number of full-rate PRSI contributions​

The number of full-rate PRSI contributions you need for the State Pension (Contributory) depends on your retirement date. Full-rate PRSI contributions are contributions paid at Class A, E, F, G, H, N, or S.

If you reach pension age on or after 6 April 2012, you need to have 520 full-rate PRSI contributions (10 years’ contributions). If you have at least 260 full-rate employment contributions are paid, the balance of the 520 can be made up with high-rate voluntary contributions.

If you reached pension age between 6 April 2002 and 5 April 2012, you needed to have 260 full-rate contributions (5 years’ contributions).

If you reached pension age before 6 April 2002, you needed 156 qualifying full-rate paid contributions (3 years’ contributions).

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From this page:​

Voluntary social insurance contributions

Voluntary social insurance contributions can help you qualify for a social insurance payment in the future. Find out more about making voluntary contributions.

www.citizensinformation.ie

Changes to PRSI requirements for voluntary contributors​

Since 6 April 2015 you need 520 paid PRSI contributions (10 years) to be eligible to make voluntary contributions:

• People who became voluntary contributors after 6 April 2014 and before 6 April 2015 needed 468 PRSI paid contributions (9 years)
• People who became voluntary contributors after 6 April 2013 but before 6 April 2014 needed 364 PRSI paid contributions (7 years)

ClubMan said:

@S class - is this information incorrect?

Applying for the State Pension (Contributory)

From 1 January 2025, if you apply for the State Pension (Contributory), there is a new way of calculating your rate of payment.

www.citizensinformation.ie

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I sent an email to the DoSP about 6 months ago asking for clarification about this. It sounds wrong to me. The DoSP came back to me and told me that they forwarded my mail to the Pension Office in Sligo. They would tell me. Never heard about it again.
I phoned Citizen Info some months ago. A guy had a look at it online and told me it is news to him. But he could not rule it out.
I think it is simply wrong. You need 520 paid contributions. 260 paid and 260 voluntary won't do. But I am not 100% certain.

It is correct but this would only apply to people who also have modified paid contributions (B, D and a few other types)

I have read that particular document many times.
It is very confusing and definitely would lead any reader to conclude that if you have 260 paid class A or class S contributions you can pay voluntary contributions.

Basically if a public sector worker has 260 or over modified contributions and they then get 260 full rate paid contributions they are then eligible to make voluntary contributions.

They meet the rule because they have 520 paid contributions.