I move that the Bill be now read a Second Time.
The purpose of the Bill is to authorise each District Milk Board, that is the Dublin District Milk Board and the Cork District Milk Board, to provide a superannuation scheme for its chairman and staff.
These two Boards were established under the Milk (Regulation of Supply and Price) Act, 1936, the Dublin District Milk Board in 1936, and the Cork District Milk Board in 1937. Their function is to regulate the supply and distribution of milk for human consumption in their respective areas, to advise the Minister for Agriculture in prescribing minimum prices payable to producers for milk, to promote milk publicity campaigns and to encourage increased milk production such as in operating artificial insemination services.
Each Board consists of a chairman and a number of ordinary members representative of milk producers, wholesalers and retailers. The ordinary members who are elected give their service on a part-time basis and receive no remuneration but are paid allowances for expenses for attendance at meetings. The chairman is nominated by and holds office at the pleasure of the Minister for Agriculture. He receives such remuneration as the Minister may fix after consultation with the Minister for Finance. At present the same person occupies the post of chairman of each of the two Boards. Each Board employs such staff as are necessary for the performance of its functions and these hold office on terms and conditions determined by the Minister for Agriculture. The present staff of the Dublin Board numbers 79 and that of the Cork Board 11.
The expenses of each Board are met out of the Board's own income which is derived from a statutory levy on milk sales and from the commercial operation of its artificial insemination service. Each Board is required to keep a fund into which all money received is paid and out of which any expenditure authorised by statute is met.
The Dublin Board has sought my approval for the introduction of a superannuation scheme for its employees and I have given approval in principle, subject to the enactment of the necessary legislation which of course would also apply to the Cork Board. In deciding to approve of the proposal in principle I was influenced by the fact that legislative provision has been made for the operation of superannuation schemes by other statutory bodies such as An Bord Bainne, An Bord Iascaigh Mhara, Bord na Móna, Electricity Supply Board, Bord Fáilte Éireann, An Foras Talúntais, etc., and also by the consideration that, as far as can be foreseen, the District Milk Boards will remain a permanent feature of the liquid milk trade.
The operation of a superannuation scheme for the staffs of the Dublin and Cork District Milk Boards will also necessitate the operation of a superannuation scheme for the chairman of the Boards who is the only member who receives remuneration for his services.
This Bill follows generally the pattern of previous legislation authorising the grant of superannuation allowances to the employees of statutory bodies. It has been necessary to make special provision for a person who, as at present, is chairman of more than one board in view of the fact that his service in relation to either board alone might be regarded as of a part-time nature only. Recent social welfare legislation which provides for contributory old age pensions will be taken into account when schemes are being prepared under the Bill.
The Bill will not involve any cost to the Exchequer. The cost of the superannuation scheme will be met out of the Boards' statutory funds into which any staff contributions will be paid.
I trust the Bill will commend itself to the House.
