May I ask the Minister if it is proposed to put the mechanics which will be necessary in order to implement this Bill into operation immediately after its enactment so that those who would benefit by the application of the 1909 Act may be enabled to embrace their opportunity with the utmost expedition?
Committee on Finance. - Superannuation Bill, 1954—Committee Stage.
Sections 1 to 4 inclusive agreed to.
Title agreed to.
Bill reported without amendment.
Question proposed: "That the Bill be received for final consideration."
The Bill will be put into operation as soon as practicable. There will be no undue delay.
I heard with interest what the Minister had to say on the Money Resolution and he is going to get all stages of the Bill to-day because he is purporting to give us the information which we requested. It is a matter of interest, and perhaps the Minister would be good enough to elaborate further as to whether the operation of the Bill extends additional benefits to all females employed in the Civil Service and gives them the lump sums and other advantages which other civil servants have enjoyed for the past 30 or 40 years? Is it literally true to say that these additional benefits can be conferred on women members of the public service without any additional cost to the Exchequer? Is there some element in this that would not be readily perceptible to someone not familiar with financial procedure, which makes that possible?
It depends on how long they live after they get the pension.
I do not think it is presumptuous to inquire how it works. I understood the new Act would give the benefit of lump sums on retirement and so many 80ths, instead of 60ths.
It means smaller pensions and a lump sum instead of no lump sum and a larger pension.
Actuarially, the new benefits and the old benefits are equated to each other. Undoubtedly there will be, for a period, some additional expense thrown on the Exchequer, but it will not be very significant and it is not possible to calculate.
The answer is that actuarially the two benefits are equal?
Yes.
Might I ask the Minister whether he has received representations seeking to amend the Bill to deal with the case of an official of the Land Commission and a former member of the Congested Districts Board, and is the Minister prepared to consider that particular case sympathetically?
The Bill is before the House now in its last stage and, apart from anything else, I do not think the proposed amendment would be in order.
It is not in the Bill and obviously it cannot be discussed now.
Question put and agreed to.
Question—"That the Bill do now pass"—put and agreed to.
This is a Money Bill within the meaning of Article 22 of the Constitution. The Seanad will be notified accordingly.