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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 18 Feb 1943

Vol. 89 No. 6

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Retired National Teachers—Pension Bonus.

asked the Minister for Education whether he intends to give a bonus on the pension to retired national teachers proportionate to the bonuses recently awarded to national teachers in the lower salary grades.

I regret that I am not in a position to consider favourably the granting of a bonus to pensioned teachers.

My question relates only to teachers whose pensions were approximating to the salaries of the lower grades of the teaching profession. Does the Minister advert to the fact that some of the older teachers are in receipt of a pension which does little more than disqualify them for receipt of the old age pension? If the junior teacher—who is, presumably, a single person—was judged worthy of some bonus, surely no great precedent would be created if the lower grade pensioners received a similar bonus for the duration of the emergency?

It is quite true that there is a number of pensioned national teachers who are in receipt of a very small pension, comparatively speaking, but I think the Deputy will recognise the difficulty of dealing with one particular class of pensioned officials.

While appreciating that, is it not true that the old teachers who are in receipt of these very small pensions are almost a unique class, in that they are a leave-over from the old days; and that their position is one of peculiar hardship? That class must now be nearly decimated owing to the rise in the cost of living. Would the Minister look into the matter?

I cannot hold out any hope that anything will be done.

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