asked the Minister for Transport and Power what the cause of the delay is in submitting the proposed superannuation scheme to the workers employed by Bord na Móna in accordance with the provisions of the Turf Development Act, 1953; and when the scheme will be submitted.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Bord na Móna Workers' Superannuation.
33.
Under the provisions of the Turf Development Act, 1953 any superannuation scheme for workers employed by Bord na Móna must be approved by me with the concurrence of the Minister for Finance. In view of this provision Bord na Móna have consulted my department informally on the broad basis of the superannuation scheme for manual workers before submitting the scheme to the workers. The Deputy will appreciate that this is a desirable course so as to avoid extensive amendments or rejection of the proposed scheme at a later stage. There has been some unavoidable delay in settling a pension scheme for the manual workers because this is the first such scheme prepared since the introduction of contributory old age pensions. The Social Welfare (Amendment) Act, 1960, under which contributory old age pensions were introduced, contains provisions enabling existing pension schemes to be modified or wound up in consequence of the enactment of the Act. The general question of the extent to which these provisions should be applied is under consideration at present and it has been considered advisable to await the results before proceeding with the Bord na Móna scheme. The results of the examination are expected to be available soon.
Can the Minister say when the terms of the Act are likely to be complied with in so far as there is an obligation on the Board to submit the proposals to the workers before submitting them to the Minister? That procedure is apparently being dispensed with at the moment. If it is intended to be a short cut and there was agreement, I could understand it. Can the Minister say when the workers are likely to see the scheme? After all, they are the principals in the whole transaction.
I think there will not be a very long delay now because the examination of the whole scheme in relation to the contributory old age pensions code is nearing completion. As soon as that matter has been settled, the final scheme will be sent back to Bord na Móna and will, of course, be submitted to the workers for their observations. I believe there will be less delay in the long run, if the scheme is presented to my Department and is sanctioned by the Minister for Finance. It could then go before the workers and many of the possible objections can be ironed out.
In order to allay the uneasiness which exists because no one appears to know the terms of the scheme or when we are likely to see it, would the Minister be prepared to say that he hopes the examination will be completed within two months so that the workers will know they will then see the scheme and will know when it is likely to be sanctioned?
I would hope that it would come some time within that period approximately. I could not say exactly whether it will be in two months' time or a little later, but the examination is nearing completion.