Vol. 42 No. 7
I move:—
That the Seanad hereby approves of the Garda Síochána Pensions Order, 1953, made on the 1st day of July, 1953, by the Minister for Justice, with the sanction of the Minister for Finance, under Section 13 of the Police Forces Amalgamation Act, 1925, and laid before the Seanad on the 18th July, 1953.
I think this Order is self explanatory. An explanatory memorandum was circulated with it this morning. One of the purposes of the Order is to provide that a member of the Guards who was allowed to stay on over 60 years of age could opt for the new pension scheme. Articles 1 to 4 are introductory. Article 5 remedies an omission in the Dublin Metropolitan Police Pensions Order, 1922, by providing, in the case of members of the Garda to whom that pensions Order applies and who, prior to joining the force were members of the Civil Service— there were some Guards who went into the Civil Service first—that a proportion of their service in the Civil Service will count as approved service for the purpose of awards of pension.
A similar provision appears in the Garda Síochána Pensions Order, 1925. Article 6 gives power to expedite the payment of pensions by the Minister for Justice without reference to the Minister for Finance.
Will the Minister tell us more about that miracle?
I do not know how that happened, but that is how it is. Formerly Guards retired at 57 years of age. That was extended to 60 years. Formerly also there was a pension of two-thirds salary without any gratuity. Under the 1951 Order the pension was to be half-pay with a gratuity. Anyone over 60 years of age could not opt for that gratuity or pension. Article 7 makes it possible for them to opt up to 62 years of age.
