asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware that local authorities are deducting full weekly superannuation contributions from sick pay payable to pensionable servants with the result that, towards the end of a sick-pay period, the superannuation deduction amounts virtually to the amount of sick pay; and if he will advise local authorities to increase the sickness payments by an amount equal to the difference between 4? per cent of wages and 4? per cent of sickness payments.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Local Authority Sick Pay Deductions.
47.
The Local Government (Superannuation) Act, 1956 provides that a pensionable servant shall contribute for pension purposes to his employing local authority at the rate of 4? per cent (10d in the £) of his weekly rate of wages and the weekly value of his emoluments subject to the proviso that there shall be no contribution in respect of a period for which he had neither wages nor emoluments. The Act also provides that periods during which a servant is on sick absence, and is paid, are pensionable, even where he is on a reduced rate of wages, and he must accordingly pay the full contribution in respect of these periods. The provision of sick pay schemes, and the details of the schemes provided, are a matter for the employing local authorities.
Surely the Minister will agree that it is rather foolish to have someone who is employed by a local authority and is receiving at the end of the period a very small amount of sick pay to make up social welfare benefit, having a greater deduction made from the amount he is getting than what he is actually getting in cash? Would the Minister not agree that this is a matter which might be adjusted with very little help from the Department?
It is a matter for the employing authority.
Has the Minister no views on matters such as this?
I have views but it would not be appropriate for me to give them.
I know it would not be appropriate. The Minister gives his views on a lot of things on which his views are not appropriate. Would he ask the local authorities to make the deduction from the amount of money they are paying and not from the Department of Social Welfare contribution?
It is a question of a contribution to the contributory pensions scheme. It is a matter for the employing authority.
Does the Minister not agree that the deduction should be made only from money given by the employing authority and not from money paid by the Department of Social Welfare?
Does the Deputy contend it is deducted from money paid by the Department of Social Welfare?
The amount is deducted from what the local authority pays and the amount paid by the Department of Social Welfare is taken into consideration. It is the same as if it were taken out of the cheque.
The amount is related to the man's wages and emoluments.
I am wasting my time talking. The Minister does not understand.