I move:
That a supplementary sum not exceeding £2,000 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1962, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Houses of the Oireachtas, including certain Allowances and Grants-in-Aid."
This Supplementary Estimate covers allowances for certain Deputies and Senators. The House will recollect that last year we passed the contributory scheme which applies to both present and future members of the Dáil and Seanad. That, however, drew attention to the fact that there are some people of advanced age who gave long service to the Dáil and Seanad and who are now in poor circumstances. A plea for those people was made to me by members of all Parties in both Houses when we were putting that Bill through and afterwards and, as a result of my meeting with representatives of the two Houses who were taking an interest in this matter and who had gone into it in great detail, they made certain recommendations to me which I have accepted practically in full in this Supplementary Estimate.
The scheme will apply to those ex-Deputies and ex-Senators who have served in either House of the Oireachtas for at least ten years and whose membership ended before the 1st May, 1960. That of course means membership ended before the contributory scheme came into operation. They must also have reached 60 years of age. The general idea is that if they have means exceeding £350 a year they are not considered. If they have no means they are entitled to a maximum of £350, while, if they have some means, it will be a sum in between.
I wish to mention the names of the Members who worked on this scheme. It is well Deputies should know I have taken recommendations from a Committee composed of Senator Michael Hayes, Senator Ted O'Sullivan and Deputy Thomas A. Kyne. They have examined the applications they thought should be considered so far. There may be others but applications should come from those people when they hear there is such a scheme in operation.
I am advised legally this can be brought into operation for this year by a supplementary estimate provided there is the intention to make the matter right by legislation as soon as an opportunity offers. There may be an opportunity in the Superannuation Bill that is coming along in the next session of the Dáil.
As I have said, the present Members are covered by the contributory scheme. As the number who retired before that will be a dwindling number, it is only to be expected that the amount to be provided will be less as the years go by. I have been advised by the Committee that £2,000 will probably cover the Estimate for this year and I am asking the Dáil to vote that amount. I should say my intention is not to accept anybody not recommended by the Committee, not to give more than is recommended by the Committee in any case, but to reserve the right to give less.
