asked the Minister for Finance if he will circulate in the Official Report details of sick pay and superannuation schemes applicable to State employees; and if he will state the grade and number of employees of his Department in the Dublin area who are not covered by sick pay or superannuation schemes.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Sick Pay and Superannuation Schemes.
26.
Details of sick pay schemes applicable to State employees were given in a reply by me to a question by Deputy James Tully on 30th November, 1965.
The other information sought is set out in a statement which, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, will be circulated with the Official Report.
Following is the statement:—
A.—SUPERANNUATION SCHEME APPLICABLE TO STATE EMPLOYEES.
The statutory provisions governing superannuation of civil servants empower the award of the benefits set out hereunder.
Established positions
Persons serving in establised positions, within the meaning of the Civil Service Commissioners Act, 1956 and the Civil Service Regulation Act, 1956, are normally awarded superannuation under the Superannuation Acts 1834 to 1963. These Acts provide a pension of one-eightieth pensionable salary for each year of reckonable service (maximum forty eightieths) together with a lump sum of one thirtieth salary for each year of service (maximum forty-five-thirtieths) and a death gratuity of one year's salary or the lump sum appropriate to years of service, if this is greater. A minimum of 10 years' reckonable service is required for the grant of pension. An established civil servant who retires before completing 10 years' reckonable service may be granted a gratuity of one month's pay for each year of service. A minimum of 2 years' reckonable service is required for the grant of a lump sum and 5 years for the grant of death gratuity. Established women civil servants who were serving before the passing of the Superannuation Act, 1954 (13th April, 1954) may be granted a pension of one-sixtieth reckonable salary for each year of pensionable service, if they did not elect for pension in eightieths with lump sum and death gratuity when this option was offered to them after the passing of the Superannuation Act, 1954.
An established civil servant may retire with superannuation on or after reaching age 60 (or age 55 in the case of Prison or Asylum officers). Before age 60, superannuation can be awarded only on ill-health retirement or on discharge from office. Retirement from an established position is compulsory at age 65 (age 60 in the case of Prison or Asylum officers).
Unestablished positions
Persons serving in a whole-time capacity in unestablished or temporary positions (including civilian employees in the Department of Defence, Forestry employees and employees in the Office of Public Works) who retire on age (after reaching age 60) or on ill-health or on discharge from office, may be granted a gratuity of one week's pay for each year of service up to 15 years and two weeks' pay for the 16th and each subsequent year of service. A minimum of seven years' service is required for the grant of a gratuity. If an unestablished civil servant dies before retirement, the gratuity appropriate to his service is paid to his dependants.
Unestablished civil servants are also insured under the Social Welfare Acts for contributory old age pensions and other benefits.
Where an unestablished civil servant is appointed to an established position one-half of his whole-time unestablished service reckons for pension and lump sum or death gratuity under the Superannuation Acts.
In addition to the foregoing, special superannuation provisions for a few posts with special functions in relation to the courts of justice have been made under the Courts of Justice and Court Officers (Superannuation) Act, 1961, and the Courts (Supplemental Provision) Act, 1961.
Non-statutory awards
Marriage gratuities are awarded to established women officers retiring on marriage with at least 6 years' service, and consist of one month's pay for each year of established service, subject to a maximum of a year's pay.
Ex-gratia gratuities of three-quarters of a week's pay for each year of reckonable service are awarded to part-time officers retiring on age or ill-health, or discharged from employment, provided they have served for at least 7 years. In case of death, the gratuity is paid to the dependants.
Note.—The foregoing provisions do not apply to the Defence Forces, Garda Síochána or teachers.
B.—EMPLOYEES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE WHO ARE NOT COVERED BY SICK PAY OR SUPERANNUATION SCHEMES.
All employees paid out of the Vote for the Office of the Minister for Finance are covered by a sick pay scheme. The following are not covered by a superannuation scheme for the award of pension:—
|
Grade |
Number |
|
Messenger (unestablished) |
14 |
|
Cleaner (Man) |
2 |
|
Superintendent of Cleaners |
1 |
|
Cleaners |
23 |
They are eligible, as unestablished civil servants, for the payment of gratuities as outlined at A above.
27.
asked the Minister for Finance if he will state, in respect of employees of the Commissioners of Public Works, the grade and the number in each such grade who are not covered by sick pay or superannuation schemes.
As the reply is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to circulate it with the Official Report.
Following is the statement:—
EMPLOYEES of the Commissioners of Public Works not covered by sick pay or superannuation schemes.
(1) Classes covered for sick pay but not for superannuation.
|
Class |
Number |
|
The employees listed in part 2 of statement in reply to Question No. 28 |
210 |
|
Temporary Clerical Assistants |
13 |
|
Director (Archaeological Survey) |
1 |
|
Investigators (Archaeological Survey) |
2 |
|
Engineers Grade III |
2 |
|
Architectural Assistant |
2 |
|
Trainee Engineering Technician |
53 |
|
Clerks of Works |
23 |
|
Inspectors |
2 |
|
Foremen |
53 |
|
Work Study Assessors |
60 |
|
Works clerks |
27 |
|
Storekeepers, Storekeeper Clerks |
6 |
|
Works Clerk/Storekeeper |
3 |
|
Storekeeper/Timekeepers |
2 |
|
Head Gardener |
1 |
|
Overseer |
1 |
|
Collector and Assistant to Inspector |
1 |
|
TOTAL: |
462 |
(2) Classes not covered for sick pay or superannuation.
|
Class |
Number |
|
Tradesmen |
92 |
|
Labourers (Architectural Districts, Furniture Branch and Engineering) |
114 |
|
Labourers (Park and Garden) |
79 |
|
Classes allied to labourers (charge- hands, drivers, machine operators, etc.) |
71 |
|
Park and Harbour Constables and Gatekeepers |
37 |
|
Arterial Drainage Workers |
1,049 |
|
Harbour and marine workers |
118 |
|
Park workers (Bourn Vincent Memorial Park and Garnish Island) |
43 |
|
Shannon Navigation employees |
24 |
|
Miscellaneous |
88 |
|
TOTAL: |
1,715 |
28.
asked the Minister for Finance if he will state, in respect of the employees of the Commissioners of Public Works in the Dublin area, the grade and the number in each grade who are covered by sick pay or superannuation schemes.
As the reply is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to circulate it with the Official Report.
Following is the statement:—
Classes employed by the office of Public Works in the Dublin area who are covered by sick pay and superannuation schemes.
1. Covered by both sick pay and superannuation.
|
Class |
Number |
|
General Civil Service Grades |
247 |
|
Professional and technical grades |
216 |
|
TOTAL: |
463 |
2. Covered by sick pay but not by superannuation.
|
Class |
Number |
|
General Civil Service Grades |
40 |
|
Professional and Technical Grades |
83 |
|
Industrial grades: |
|
|
Inspectors |
3 |
|
Foremen |
9 |
|
Overseers |
13 |
|
Assistants to Overseers |
14 |
|
Storekeepers, Assistant Store-keepers and Clerk/Storekeeper |
5 |
|
Assistant Storekeeper Clerks |
25 |
|
Timekeeper and Timekeeper/ |
2 |
|
Foreman |
2 |
|
Works Clerks |
3 |
|
Clerical Assistant to Foreman |
1 |
|
Dredger Engineer |
2 |
|
Dredger Mate |
1 |
|
Head Gardeners |
2 |
|
Assistant Head Gardener |
1 |
|
Propagators |
2 |
|
Forester |
1 |
|
Housekeeper Guide |
1 |
|
Boy Assistants |
2 |
|
TOTAL: |
210 |
29.
asked the Minister for Finance if he will state, in respect of employees of the Commissioners of Public Works in the Dublin area, the total number and the average service of such employees who are not covered by sick pay or superannuation schemes.
The total number of employees of the Commissioners of Public Works in the Dublin area who are not covered for either sick pay or superannuation is 393. Their average length of service is approximately 13 years.
Subject to certain conditions, these employees qualify for the award of compassionate gratuities under the Superannuation Acts on death or retirement.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary indicate to the House whether it is the intention to bring these employees under a scheme of sick pay or superannuation, having regard to the fact that employees of equal service employed by local authorities throughout the country will be covered by such schemes and employees of most good employers will also be covered by such schemes? Would the Parliamentary Secretary not agree with me that the Commissioners of Public Works, the Minister for Finance and the Government are lacking in this respect—in the care of these employees?
The Deputy will appreciate that it would not be practical or even just to consider the position in regard to the sick pay or superannuation for the particular employees he has asked about in isolation from a large class of other people in the same position. They will all have to be considered together before an equitable solution can be found.
The Parliamentary Secretary has advised the House that the average service of these people is 13 years and yet they are not covered by a sick pay or superannuation scheme. The Parliamentary Secretary, as I understand it, advises the House that there is no immediate attempt to initiate such a scheme for these employees. In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I give notice that I propose to raise the matter on the Adjournment.