I move for leave to introduce this Bill.
LOCAL OFFICERS COMPENSATION (WAR PERIOD) (AMENDMENT) BILL, 1925—FIRST STAGE.
MINISTER FOR FINANCE (Mr. Blythe)
I think it would facilitate an understanding of the Bill, and perhaps would expedite the Second Reading stage if we could have an explanation as to what the purport of it is. I agree that there are certain Bills that need not be explained at all on a First Reading, but this is a Bill that it is not easy to understand from the title of it, and I would ask the Minister to give us some little explanation of it.
The necessity for this Bill arises in this way. The position of certain ex-officials of local authorities who had been dismissed from their employment during the pre-Truce period because of their adherence to the British Government became, after the change of government, the subject of correspondence with the British Government, which resulted in an agreement to appoint Mr. Justice Wylie as arbitrator in the matter of assessing the proper amount of pensions or gratuities to be paid to such officers. Following the awards made by Judge Wylie, steps were taken to have the pensions (or gratuities) paid by the local bodies concerned, but, owing to the refusal of certain of the local bodies to pay the pensions or to recognise in any way the dismissed officials, and following a certain amount of pressure on the part of the British Government, it was decided that the Minister for Finance should be responsible for the payment of the pensions and gratuities, and the necessary legislation was introduced and passed for the purpose of enabling this to be done—namely, the Local Officers Compensation (War Period) Act, 1924.
The passing of the Local Government Act of 1925 raised the point as to whether Section 49 of that Act, which provided for the suspension or abatement of the pensions payable to persons who retired or retire from their employment under any local body in the Saorstát, and who are re-employed, applied to the pensions payable under the Local Officers Compensation (War Period) Act, 1924. The general view was that Section 49 did not apply, as that section had reference to persons in receipt of a pension "from a local body," whereas pensioners under the Local Officers Compensation (War Period) Act, 1924, receive their allowances from the Minister for Finance.
Question: "That leave be given to" troduce the Bill"—put and agreed to.
Second Stage ordered for Tuesday, 12th January, 1926.