Vol. 6 No. 33
I beg to move amendment No. 1:—
Section I., line 25, to delete the words and figures "May 1st, 1924," and to insert in lieu thereof the words and figures "the 2nd day of May, 1924."
The 2nd May, 1924, will fall on Friday. Friday is the day of the week on which old age pensions are paid. It is convenient, therefore, that for administrative purposes the first appointed day should fall on a Friday.
I move amendment 2:—
Section I., lines 26 to 28, to delete all from and including the words "such day" to the words "this Act," and to insert in lieu thereof the words and figures "the 5th day of September, 1924."
The intention of this amendment is that the second appointed day should be fixed by the Act, and not by the Minister, and the 5th September is suggested as being the most convenient date to the purpose.
I beg to move Amendment 3. In Section 1 to delete lines 29 to 33 inclusive.
This amendment deletes from the Bill the definition of the expression "third appointed day." The expression "third appointed day" occurs only once elsewhere in the Bill, namely, in sub-section (2) of Section 3. That sub-section provides for the continued payment of old age pensions payable at the rate of one shilling per week until the third appointed day. It is not considered necessary to appoint a special day for this purpose other than the day already fixed as the "second appointed day."
I beg to move amendment No. 4, Section 3 (1), line 42, immediately after the work "week" to insert the words "and is payable to a person who, on the first appointed day, shall not have attained the age of eighty years."
The object of this amendment is to take out of the operation of the Section old age pensioners at 80 years of age or over. The intention is that the first reduction shall not apply to old age pensions payable on the 2nd of May, 1924, to old age pensioners of 80 years of age or over.
I beg to move Amendment 5, in Section 3 (2), line 49, to delete the word "third" and insert in lieu thereof the word "second."
The reason for this amendment has already been given.
I move amendment No. 6. In Section 4 (1), line 10, after the word "week" to insert the word "and," and after paragraph (b) to insert an additional paragraph as follows:—
(c) are payable to persons who on the first appointed day shall not have attained the age of eighty years.
This amendment also is intended to exclude existing pensioners of over 80 years of age from the operations of the Bill.
I beg to move Amendment 7—To delete Section 4 (2). It is not considered advisable or necessary that the return required by the sub-section should be presented to the Oireachtas by the Minister, and consequently it is proposed to delete the sub-section.
I may say that when I accepted the amendment to this sub-section I had not fully adverted to the effect of my promise made to Deputy Cooper to have a fixed day for the appointed day. There is no longer any point in putting a sub-section such as this into the Bill, as there will now be a statutory Appointed Day in the Bill, and there could not be a question of review of that except by legislation. There is also the other matter, that it might be possible, at that particular time, if we fixed the 5th September, that the Dáil would not be in Session, that is if we succeed in getting our summer recess at all, and, therefore, there might be a charge of bad faith if it happened at the time this cut came into operation there was no opportunity of discussion. I will undertake, however, that as soon as possible, returns shall be submitted without any necessity for a motion in the Dáil for a return. I said when it was first put forward it was unnecessary because the information could be got by any member who moved for a return at any particular time, and it is not a return one usually finds in legislation.
I beg to move Amendment 8, in Section 5 (2), line 57, to add after the word "pension" the words "or who shall after the passing of this Act become entitled to receive a pension under Section I. of the Act of 1920."
The effect of the amendment is that this exception should be extended to blind persons who hereafter become entitled to pensions under the Blind Persons Act of 1920.
I beg to move Amendment No. 9, Section 5 (3), line 59, to delete the words "is hereby repealed" and to insert in lieu thereof the words, "shall not apply to any case to which this Section applies."
This is a drafting amendment; it is not considered logical to repeal a clause which will continue to apply to some cases.
I move Amendment 10—In page 3 to insert before Section 6 a new Section as follows:—
6.—(1) In calculating the income mentioned in paragraph (b) of sub-section (1) of Section 2 of the Act of 1911, no account shall be taken of any amounts received during a period of not more than six months in any year by a person or by the husband or wife of a person (as the case may be) under a medical certificate as sickness benefit or disablement benefit from a Friendly Society or Trade Union or under the National Insurance Act, 1911.
(2) Clause (b) of sub-section (1) of Section 4 of the Act of 1919 is hereby repealed.
Clause B of Sub-section (1) of Section 4 of the Act of 1919 provides that in calculating means, account should be taken of any amounts received during a period of not more than three months in any year by the persons named under a medical certificate as sickness benefit from a Friendly Society or Trade Union, or under the National Insurance Act, 1911. The amendment proposes to extend the period of three to six months, and to include disablement benefit in the exemption from calculation.
On this motion I want to acknowledge one or two amendments to the Bill which are really amendments, not merely alterations—perhaps I should say amendments in respect to a reduction in the punishment. I will not divide the Dáil on this Stage, which is merely to receive the Bill for final consideration, but when we come to the next Stage I hope we shall be able to consider it.
May I express pleasure that the Minister has been able to make the Bill more satisfactory to Deputy Johnson?
A little less unsatisfactory.
