To ask the Minister for Education if he can state:— (a) The number of National Teachers who retired from the service on 30th September, 1922. (b) The number of such teachers to whom pension payments have not yet been made. Also, if he will take steps to see that payment of pension is made in as short a time as possible to teachers who retire.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. - [ ORAL ANSWERS. ] TEACHERS' PENSIONS.
(a) The number of National Teachers who retired from the service on September 30th, 1922, was 91. (b) Payment of pension has not yet been made to 39 of these teachers, as certain questions arising in connection with the calculation of the award of their pensions required special consideration by the Teachers' Pension Office and the Ministry of Finance.
In addition to these numbers (91 and 39 respectively) there are 17 teachers from whom salary was withdrawn on September 30th, 1922, but who have not yet complied with the conditions required for the award of pensions.
With reference to the latter part of the question I am informed that the delay in the award of pensions to teachers not infrequently arises from a failure on their part to comply with the necessary preliminary conditions, and that steps are always taken to prevent any avoidable delay on the part of the Education Office.