asked the Minister for Transport and Power if all harbour commissioners have adopted the Local Government (Superannuation) Act, 1956; if not, what harbour commissioners have not yet adopted it; and if he will take the necessary steps to get them to adopt this Act.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Local Government (Superannuation) Act.
12.
The Local Government (Superannuation) Act, 1956, does not apply to harbour authorities.
The Harbours Act, 1946, contains provisions governing superannuation schemes for employees of harbour authorities. The harbour authorities at Dublin, Limerick and Waterford have adopted superannuation schemes under the Act and the Cork Harbour Commissioners are awaiting actuarial advice in regard to a scheme which they propose to adopt. Meanwhile, they are paying pensions under earlier legislation. There is no statutory obligation on the smaller authorities to adopt superannuation schemes and none of them has as yet adopted a superannuation scheme under the Act, except the Drogheda Harbour Commissioners who have adopted a scheme in respect of their harbour secretary. Some of the smaller authorities have ad hoc arrangements for the payment of pensions.
Does the Parliamentary Secretary not agree that this is rather hard luck on the employees? I refer particularly to Drogheda Harbour Commissioners who have refused to put the superannuation scheme into operation, except for the secretary, and to the fact that people with 40 years service will be retiring without any pension rights from the Board.
I point out for the benefit of the Deputy who may not have heard the first part of my reply that I indicated that the Local Government (Superannuation) Act, 1956, does not apply to harbour authorities.
It applies to employees of boards.
Not the Local Government (Superannuation) Act, 1956.
I shall put down another question.