asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether in view of the delays experienced in the quarterly payments of salary by his Department to pension clerks he will consider arranging for these clerks to be paid monthly in the future.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Pensions Clerks: Salary Payments.
98.
The financial arrangements under which salaries are paid to clerks of old age pension committees and sub-committees are in force since 1935 at which time they were presented to the Oireachtas. These arrangements have not, hitherto, been the subject of complaints, but I am aware that in a few instances recently there were delays in the making of the quarterly payments due to delay in the return to the Department of forms issued to clerks for certification. It may be that it is to these delays that the Deputy is referring. As to the question of paying the salaries of clerks on a monthly basis I should explain that clerks are appointed on a part-time basis only: their duties, generally speaking, occupy very little time and the salaries paid to the great majority of them are very small. Because of this, it may be that the payment of salaries to them on a quarterly basis rather than on a monthly basis is a better arrangement. In view of the Deputy's request, however, I am having the question examined in my Department.