asked the Minister for Transport and Power the number of CIE retired pensioners with pensions of 30/- per week or less.
2.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - CIE Pensions.
1.
asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he will consider increasing the pension allowance to retired CIE employees who are now in receipt of pensions ranging from £1 to £3 and in some cases to £4 after many years' service.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together.
The number of CIE pensioners now in receipt of CIE pensions of 30/- per week or less is 1,914.
The levels of pension and contributions provided for in CIE wages grade pension schemes took into account the social welfare benefits to which members would be entitled on retirement. Thus at 70 years of age a married CIE pensioner in receipt of 30/- CIE pension has a total pension and social welfare benefit income of £6 17s 6d per week and a single pensioner has £4 10s a week.
Unless the existing members of the CIE wages grade pension scheme were prepared to agree to an amendment of the scheme to provide for an increase in the rates of pension payable to existing pensioners, the full cost of any such increase would fall to be borne by CIE on an ex gratia basis. The Deputies are already fully aware of the difficult financial position of the Board at the present time and of the causes of it.
Might I inquire from the Minister how he considers it fair play that practically 2,000 pensioners have less than 30s a week to live on? How does he reconcile that with the pension and other moneys given by CIE, who are now admitted to be in poor financial circumstances, to Dr. Andrews?
I refer the Deputy to the fact that a very great improvement has been made since the Deputy's Government were in office. In 1956, a single man was in receipt of a total old age pension of £2 4s and a married man, whose wife was not able to get an old age pension, was receiving £2 4s a week. Allowing for the change in the value of money since that time, the increase in pension in the case of the single man is 40 per cent and 120 per cent in the case of a married man. This can be related to the general overall increase in the incomes of the community of one-third so we are making progress.
Does the Minister seriously say that progress has been made by CIE under Dr. Andrews when we have fewer miles of railways, fewer railway stations, canals closed down, with a closing down of lock houses and railway stations? Surely the Minister cannot describe that as progress?
That does not arise on this question.
If the Deputy bothered to listen to the Estimate, he would find that the number of passenger miles has increased, despite the closing of the railways, that freight haulage has gone up some 58 per cent during the period of office of Dr. Andrews, that the bus passenger service also went up and CIE have got £1 million worth of package deals. The loss, as a whole, would be between £3 million and £4 million, compared with a current loss of £2 million a year. I do not understand what the Deputy is referring to.
Mr. O'Malley
Look at the advance made in civil aviation since the planes were sold by the Deputy's Government.
Would the Minister say if it is fair to fire a man with 35 years service and give him no proper pension at all?
That question does not arise.
May I ask a simple question? Will the Minister tell the House what increase CIE pensioners got during the six years of Deputy Flanagan's Government?
None.
That question does not arise. Question No. 3.