asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a residence period is necessary for nuns returning from foreign missions in order that they may qualify for old age pensions; and, if so, if he will take steps to dispense with the necessity for such a residence period.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Old Age Pensions for Nuns.
23.
The period of residence necessary to satisfy the residence condition for non-contributory old age pension is laid down in the Old Age Pensions Acts and I am not empowered to waive it or dispense with it in respect of any class of persons.
Could the Minister amend it by legislation?
Yes; if it was felt to be desirable, I could bring in an amendment, but I would not be inclined to bring it in for one particular class.
Does the Minister not recall that this House did bring in amending regulations in regard to teachers who served in missionary fields and whose period of service was allowed for incremental purposes, as distinct from people who taught abroad in other areas? Might not that service act as a valuable precedent where you have religious serving in missionary areas and returning to Ireland at the end of their days and qualify them in exceptional circumstances on the same lines as those applying in respect of teachers?
This is an entirely different question. It is obvious that the same conditions should apply to all people returning here.
Does the Minister contend there is any analogy between a person who has lived abroad in an earning capacity all his life and is a beneficiary of other systems of social welfare and a person who goes abroad to a mission field in the religious sphere and returns at the end of his days to his own country? Are they to be penalised because they went, whereas they would have qualified if they stayed at home?
Of course, they are different from people who are beneficiaries under other social welfare systems.