asked the Minister for Education if he will remove the ban on teachers over 65 years who had participated in the capitation scheme and are thus deprived of pensions.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Teacher Ban Removal.
67.
In order to ensure that posts will be available for the 1,100 newly-trained teachers who will be coming out of the colleges of education at the end of the current academic year, the special concession whereby teachers have, on certain conditions, been retained in the teaching service beyond the normal retiring date will not operate in the forthcoming school year. It is not possible to make an exception in favour of one particular category of such teachers. A claim for pension credit for service in capitation schools is at present before the Teachers' Conciliation Council.
Is the Minister aware that members of religious orders, nuns in particular—I have been asked to raise this matter on their behalf— some of whom have been working in schools for 30 years and 45 years, are now asked to retire this year, that they are not entitled to any pension and would have no function in the school and will not qualify for an old age pension for a two-year period? Does the Minister not consider that this is placing a great burden on a section of the community who have given very great service in the education and other fields to the Irish community?
Yes. I appreciate the difficulties the Deputy raised and as I mentioned at the end of my reply a claim for pension credit for service in these capitation schools is at present before the Teachers' Conciliation Council. It is not possible, however, to select a particular category for special treatment because there are other groups for whom claims might also be made of hardship in these circumstances and the balance of human advantage seems to lie with taking this step of not continuing this practice, which is an exceptional practice, in operation in the current year so as to maximise the number of new teachers who will gain employment rather than create a situation where they could not and might have to seek employment elsewhere in the current year.
I am sure the Minister will accept that I would agree that to make places for those coming out of training colleges is praiseworthy but what I am raising here is the plight in which those teachers have been placed who do not qualify for a pension because of the capitation system of payment. Nuns and brothers are particularly badly hit, people whose salaries in the past have gone back into the building of new schools and meeting debts on schools. They are in a particular category having made special sacrifices more than any other section of the community and they are now being left as a severe financial imposition on their orders. In one religious house of nuns there is a drop in income of £10,000.
The Deputy is making a speech, not asking a question.
I appreciate the very real difficulty imposed. There is a claim at conciliation level that is under consideration and a decision is due shortly. However, I am not in a position to anticipate that decision.
I would ask the Minister to ensure that a sympathetic and favourable decision will be made as soon as possible.
I will convey the Deputy's views on this matter.
I raised a similar question with the Minister nearly a year ago and I was then told the matter was at conciliation level and that a decision was expected. Is the Minister in a position to say a decision will be made in the next month?
It is intended to convene a further meeting of the conciliation council before the end of the month to discuss this matter and other claims with regard to teachers' pensions. Immediate action is taking place on the matter.
Can the Minister state if there is some hope for the nuns and brothers who have been thrown out without any pension from the State?
I do not think the words "thrown out" are appropriate to the situation——
I am merely expressing the feeling that exists about this matter.
I can understand that. An extension of service which took place previously is not being maintained in the coming year. It is the abandonment of an exceptional arrangement because of a greater need elsewhere. Having said that, I cannot accept the Deputy's words. I accept the real character of the problem and I will convey the Deputy's views.
The Minister has some influence there, also.