Some days ago the Government Whips approached us and informed us of the Government's desire to introduce and enact this Bill before the Summer Recess. We were supplied with a copy of the Bill. The Government Whips requested that we should consider it. We were given to understand that the Government's action might depend upon our decision and we were requested to inform the Government whether or not we would oppose the Bill. The Bill was considered at a meeting of our Party. I think it is right I should say that at the beginning of our consideration of the Bill there was considerable divergence of viewpoints amongst us. As our discussion and consideration of the Bill proceeded, however, towards agreement, it was decided to seek information from the Government Whips as to the attitude of the various Parties comprising the Government Coalition. We were informed by the Government Whips that all of the Parties in the Government Coalition were supporting the Bill and on that assurance we decided that we would not oppose it or seek to divide the Dáil on it.
This legislation, which provides for the payment of pensions to former Ministers of State and other retired Parliamentary officers and their widows after their deaths, has been the subject of considerable and often unfair comment at political meetings. I think that it is not out of order for me, on the occasion of the introduction of this amending Bill, to give a very brief synopsis of the history of the principal Act.
The idea of providing pensions for Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries and other Parliamentary officers was under consideration here for many years. I think I am correct in saying that it was considered by a Committee of the Dáil during the period of the Cumann na nGaedheal Government, on the initiative of that Government. The Committee, however, did not produce an agreed report and no action followed from its deliberations. Later, when the Fianna Fáil Government was in office, the matter was again taken up by the Fine Gael Party. Representatives of the Fine Gael Party discussed the idea with representatives of the Fianna Fáil Government and urged on the Fianna Fáil Government that legislation to provide for such pensions should be enacted. The Fianna Fáil Government was impressed by the case that was made and, although it fully realised that responsibility for the introduction of such legislation would carry political penalties, nevertheless it decided to proceed towards the establishment of an all-Party Committee to consider the form that the legislation should take. That Committee met and reached agreement. It was composed of the representatives of all the Parties then in the House, the Fianna Fáil Party, the Fine Gael Party and the Labour Party. The conclusions of the Committee were reached with evidence of complete agreement amongst all three Parties but, as is now well known, when the report of the Committee was drafted not all the members of the Committee signed it, certain members from the Labour Party not being available for that purpose. When the legislation based upon the Committee's report was submitted to the Dáil, I must say, in tribute to the Fine Gael Party, that they loyally supported here the recommendations which their representatives on the Committee had helped to frame. I think the present Minister for Defence acted as spokesman for the Party and proclaimed himself as proud to sponsor the measure in the House.
To our astonishment, however, a similar line was not taken by the Labour Party. The leader of that Party announced that it had been decided to leave the action of individual members to their individual discretion and he himself, despite the encouragement he had given to the preparation and the introduction of the Bill, voted against it. Later, the action of the Fianna Fáil Government in introducing and securing the enactment of that Bill was subjected to considerable misrepresentation. It was, as I have indicated, accepted by us as a political burden that we had to carry. Other Parties which have since emerged joined in the campaign against our Party, which was initiated by a section of the Labour Party, on the grounds of having introduced that Bill. It is, I think, reasonable for me now to express the hope that the decision of all these Parties to support this amending Bill indicates the termination of that campaign; indicates their acceptance of the desirability of having legislation of the character of the Ministerial and Parliamentary Officers Act on the Statute Book and that there will not be, either in relation to Fianna Fáil or any other Party, any misrepresentation of their motives in supporting that legislation. If the introduction of this Bill, with the support of all the Parties comprising the Government Coalition, serves that purpose then it will effect not merely what is, in my view, a desirable amendment of the law but another purpose perhaps equally useful.
