asked the Minister for Finance whether, in view of the further increase in the cost of living and the consequent hardships which are inflicted on pensioned employees of the State and local authorities, he is prepared to grant an increase in the case of persons in receipt of low rates of pension, so as to compensate them for the steep and rapid rise in prices.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Pension Rates.
I would refer the Deputy to my reply to a similar question addressed by him on the 3rd November last in regard to pensioned employees of the State. I am unable to hold out any hope that a concession of this kind can be granted.
As regards pensioned employees of the local authorities, I would refer the Deputy to the reply given by the Minister for Local Government and Public Health on the 28th October last to a question by Deputy Tunney in regard to the people receiving superannuation from the Corporation of Dublin and Dun Laoghaire. That reply is of general application.
In view of the fact that a large number of those persons have less than 30/- a week as pension—many of them have less than £1 a week— would not the Minister indicate that, appreciating their difficulties in present circumstances, he will introduce legislation to relieve their plight or achieve the same object by means of an Emergency Powers Order?
Would the Minister, in any event, consider the case of the old national teachers who were pensioned off before the new régime, and some of whom have only a pension of from £50 to £75 on which they are trying to exist? They are a very small body.
I examined the cases of all these classes in connection with the emergency bonuses which were granted last month. I found that the bill would be so heavy that I could not recommend the Government to face it in present circumstances.
What sum would be involved in making a reasonable concession to those in receipt of very low pensions?
If the sum were to be what Deputy Norton would regard as reasonable, I am afraid it would be out of all proportion to what the State would be able to bear.
Assuming that, what sum would the Minister himself think reasonable to meet the claims of those in receipt of very low pensions? Will the Minister not undertake to examine the position of those who retired on pension when the cost-of-living index was at 50 or 55 as contrasted with the present figure of 194?
As I told the Deputy, I examined the matter very closely and sympathetically during the past few months.
Will the Minister indicate that the Government will again give some consideration to the plight of those in receipt of low pensions with a view to easing the position of a class who are really in a deplorable position?
Mr. A. Byrne
Will the Minister consider the lowly-paid pensioners of the Post Office who retired under the age limit on very small pensions prior to and during the emergency?
The Government and the Minister have also to consider the citizens who would have to bear these burdens.
Has not the Minister already announced that there is an abundance of money available for worth-while schemes of work and will he not consider the question of increasing the pensions of those persons who have served the State over a long number of years, so that they will not be expected to exist on rates of pension which are utterly incapable of sustaining them.
If the Minister could, by waving a wand, improve the conditions of life of many classes of citizens, including those mentioned by Deputy Norton, he would be very happy to do so but he cannot.
At one time, he was able to whip John Bull and surely he could do something in this case.