andMr. Kitt asked the Minister for Finance if he will reintroduce the provision whereby Garda widows would be entitled to a reduction allowance of £50 of the widow's pension when estimating means for non-contributory widow's pension purposes.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Garda Widows' Pensions.
40.
The provision to which the Deputies refer was designed to ensure that a person in receipt of both a Garda widow's pension and a Social Welfare non-contributory widow's pension would not suffer a reduction in total income by virtue of an increase in the Garda pension. It ceased to be necessary after the enactment of section 9 of the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1960 and section 15 of the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1961. These sections ensure that where a Garda widow is in receipt of a widow's pension under the Garda Pensions Orders and a pension under the Social Welfare Acts the total of the two pensions shall not be reduced in consequence of an increase in the public service pension.
41.
andMr. Kitt asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider increasing the pensions of Garda widows from the present rate of 25 per cent of deceased husband's pension to 50 per cent as is payable to police widows in all other European countries.
I presume the Deputies are referring to those widows of former members of the Garda Síochána who are at present in receipt of pensions calculated as a percentage of their late husband's pay. These widows may be granted a flat rate pension equivalent to the maximum rate of contributory widow's pension under the Social Welfare Acts, if this is more favourable to them, and accordingly it is not proposed to increase the percentage rate. The question of further increasing these pensions and public service pensions generally is one of the many matters for consideration at budget time.