asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware that some of the Leinster House ushers who are due to retire in the near future are not being credited with their full period of service; and if he will take the necessary steps to remedy the position.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Service of Leinster House Ushers.
7.
The terms and conditions of superannuation for ushers and other members of the staff of the Houses of the Oireachtas, which are governed by the provisions of the Staff of the Houses of the Oireachtas Act, 1959, are not less favourable than those applicable to Civil Service staffs generally. In the circumstances I do not consider that any further provision in their regard is required.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary not aware that a number of the ushers in this House who have been serving from the inception of this State and who have now reached retiring age were treated as temporary for a considerable number of years and are not being credited with that service in their retirement pension? Does the Parliamentary Secretary not consider that at least the Dáil should look after its own servants when it has the power to do so?
The same conditions apply to these men to whom the Deputy refers as to all other similar people in the public service.
Is it considered by the Parliamentary Secretary that, because certain minor officers in the employment of this State are badly treated, the State should give the same treatment to the ushers of this House? Will the Parliamentary Secretary not reply to that?
I did not get the Deputy's question.
This is the first time anybody has stated here that they could not hear what I said.
It is not that I did not hear what the Deputy said but that I did not understand what he said. It was worded in a complex way. Try again.
Shall I put it a bit more briefly? Does the Parliamentary Secretary agree that because certain people who are minor officers of the State outside this House are being badly treated from the point of view of pension purposes the same treatment should be given to the servants of the House?
That is an assumption that the other people in the service are being badly treated.
It is not an assumption; it is an assertion.
The Parliamentary Secretary does not accept that.
I shall raise it on another occasion.
Does any Deputy in the House at this moment desire to see these men who have served the Oireachtas retire without recognition of all the years' service they have given for pension purposes? Is there any Deputy here who wants that? If there is, let him put up his hand. If we all want to give it to them, why, in the name of Providence, can the Minister for Finance not give it to them?
That is a speech.
The amount involved is about 3/9d. I am not making a speech: I am asking a question. If we all want to do it, why should we not do it?
It is a fair question.
The Parliamentary Secretary says he cannot do it because there are some civil servants in other branches of the service in similar circumstances. Leave them out: I am talking of the members of the Oireachtas staff. If we all want to give it, why can we all not do it, or are we brainwashed?
These men are governed by a statute of 1959. Deputy Dillon's speech could more appropriately have been made on the occasion of the discussion of the Staff of the Houses of the Oireachtas Act, 1959.
These men were not retired then. They are retiring now.
It would take a Private Member's Bill to deal with it, I suppose. Give me the opportunity.
Next question.