asked the Minister for Local Government if he will take steps to empower local authorities to increase the superannuation of retired road workers.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Pensions of Road Workers.
13.
Increases in the pensions of certain former road workers and other local authority pensioners were authorised in a circular letter which issued from my Department on the 29th January, 1964. These increases were effective from 1st November, 1963. It is not possible at this stage to indicate whether further increases in these pensions can be authorised and in this connection I would refer the Deputy to my reply of the 12th March last to a question by Deputy Treacy.
Did the Minister issue that circular to the Cork County Council?
To all local authorities.
Is the Minister aware that the Cork County Manager at a recent meeting of the council stated that he had no power to increase the superannuation of road workers and nothing could be done until he obtained a direction from the Minister to do so?
If the manager and the council had acted on the terms of the letter of 29th January, 1964 already, he would be quite right in saying he could not act further without a further direction, but if he has not acted on that letter, he has power to do so.
He has not acted on it.
Question No. 14.
I want to ask the Minister if he will have regard to the anomaly whereby managers are entitled to add a year's service in the case of officials but cannot add one day's service in the case of employees of the council and——
That, of course, is an entirely separate matter.
——if he will rectify that anomaly?