asked the Minister for Justice whether, in view of the imminent removal from office of a number of District Court clerks by reason of their age, he will consider the position of such of these clerks as are on a non-pensionable basis, with a view to making suitable provision for them, either in the nature of a pension or compensation for loss of office.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - District Court Clerks.
Mr. Boland
Six District Court clerks have been notified that it is intended to terminate their services on the ground of age. They are all over 70 years of age. Five of them were formerly Petty Sessions clerks, and were awarded compensation on discharge from that office in the form of pensions, which were suspended during re-employment, but which will become payable on final retirement. The right of a District Court clerk, as such, to a pension or gratuity on retirement depends on the Superannuation Acts, which apply to the Civil Service generally, and the introduction of legislation to alter that position is not in contemplation.
Is the Minister aware that the position of most of those people is that, because they were District Court clerks, they were precluded from any other type of employment, beyond the possibility of becoming auctioneers? The fact that some of them had small pensions because they were Petty Sessions clerks, does not help the situation much. Those men have given 20 years' service to this State at a smaller rate of pay than they were formerly receiving for a smaller amount of work. They are now going to go out at the end of a long period of service with nothing at all. These people have no means whatsoever.