asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state if he has received any representations from the Irish National Teachers' Organisation protesting against the inclusion of national teachers under the provisions of the Social Welfare Acts for the purposes of widows' and orphans' pensions and against the deductions now being made from the salaries of national teachers in respect thereof and if in view of the undertaking given by him to the Dáil on the 21st May, 1952 (Volume 131, column 2049) he will now take steps to exempt national teachers from the payment of such contributions.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Teachers and Social Welfare Acts.
I have received representations from the Irish National Teachers' Organisation protesting against the inclusion of national teachers under the Social Welfare Act, 1952, for widows' and orphans' pensions purposes and against the deductions from theirsalaries of their share of the appropriate contributions.
During the Report Stage of the Social Welfare (Insurance) Bill, 1951, in reply to a query as to whether national teachers are to be exempted from the scheme I replied "Yes" but I qualified that reply in answer to a further query (Volume 131, column 2051) by stating that I was in favour of covering certain classes including teachers for widows' and orphans' pensions purposes and I think I left no doubt as to the position during the debate on 3rd December, 1952, when I said I saw no sound reason for excluding national teachers for widows' and orphans' pensions.
The Social Welfare (Modifications of Insurance) Regulations, 1953, modified the provisions of the Social Welfare Act in respect of certain classes of employment including pensionable employment as national teachers, where the rate of remuneration did not exceed £600 a year, by providing that such classes, covered for all purposes under the Act, would be insurable for widows' and orphans' pensions purposes only.
No resolution to annual these regulations was proposed in the statutory period of 21 days during which the regulations were laid on the Table of the House.
Does the Minister deny that he gave a specific undertaking as a result of which an amendment which I put down was withdrawn by me? In view of that does he not consider that he should have honoured that undertaking?
I gave an undertaking that the Deputy would have another opportunity of discussing the matter in the House.
Is the Minister not aware that at column 2043, Volume 131, he said in regard to the teachers:—
"They are, therefore, exempt from the insurance scheme."
At column 2046 he said:—
"I would ask Deputy MacBride, therefore, to leave things as they are on the assurance that I would like to see schemes of this kind, and if they are put up there will beagreement as far as I am concerned,"
and that at column 2049 I asked:—
"National teachers are definitely to be exempted from the scheme?" The Minister replied:—
"Yes."
In view of that, does the Minister not consider it a breach of faith with the House and with the public to have included the teachers?
In my reply I stated that this matter came up on three or four occasions and there was no doubt left at the end on what my attitude was with regard to national teachers.
Does the Minister appreciate that two-thirds of the teachers are women who on marriage have to retire and therefore they can never benefit?
This is argument. Questions may not be used for argument. Questions are to elicit information, not for the purpose of arguing.
I want to ask the Minister whether he is aware that roughly 80 per cent. of the teachers can never benefit from the widows' and orphans' pension fund because the women teachers have to retire on marriage and the men who marry receive only £600 a year.
This is argument again.
They can continue their insurance if they get married.
With your permission, I propose to raise this matter on the Adjournment.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state, in regard to the deductions which are being made from the salaries of national teachers for contributions under the Social Welfare Act in respect of widows' and orphans' pensions (a) the amount of such deductions and (b) the number of (i) unmarried and (ii)married teachers from whose salaries deductions are being made.
(a) The amount of the deduction is ninepence a week per insured person. The total amount deducted to date under the Social Welfare Act, 1952, is £276 2s. 3d.
(b) No record is held in my Department of the number of (i) unmarried and (ii) married national teachers from whose salaries deductions are being made. The Minister for Education has, however, informed me that as at 31st March last deductions were being made in respect of 3,988 unmarried teachers and 3,375 married teachers.