Irish nationals who have spent time working abroad may qualify for some social security and pension entitlements here and in the state in which they worked if social insurance contributions were paid in both states.

European Economic Area (EEA) countries covered by EC regulations - Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, the Republic, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom (excluding the Channel Islands) - are obliged to provide citizens of these states with social insurance benefits.

These regulations ensure that EEA nationals working in other member-states receive the same treatment in social security matters as nationals of the countries where they go to work. Periods of social insurance in any of these countries may also be used to help Irish nationals qualify for social security benefits and pensions when they return.

The benefits covered are disability and maternity benefit, (including healthcare), benefits for an accident at work or occupational disease, invalidity pension, old-age (contributory) and retirement pensions, unemployment benefit, child benefit, death grant and treatment benefit.

Benefits are also available, to a lesser degree, to individuals who have worked in a state with a bilateral pension agreement with the Republic. The United States, Canada, Quebec, Australia, New Zealand, the Isle of Man, Austria and Switzerland all fall into this category.

These agreements protect the pension rights of Irish people who go to work in these states and they protect employees from those states who work here.

Most recently, the Republic signed a bilateral pension agreement with Switzerland. Similar to the other agreements, Irish benefits covered include old-age (contributory) pension, retirement pension, invalidity pension, widow and widower's (contributory) pension and orphan's (contributory) pension allowance.

Applicants for a pro-rata retirement or old-age (contributory) pension must be age 65 and 66 respectively and must satisfy certain social-insurance conditions. The regulations specify that a minimum of 52 social insurance contributions must be made in the Republic, but may have been paid at any time before the person claims benefits.

When comparable contributions are examined, pension rates provided to those who have worked in EEA or bilateral agreement countries is only a fraction of the rate received by Irish nationals who made all their social insurance contributions here.

For more information on EC regulations, bilateral agreements and social welfare entitlements contact the International Records section, social welfare services office, (01) 874 8444.