asked the Minister for Education if he will permit primary teachers who served in the Emergency Forces during the 1939-1945 period an extension of their post-65 years' teaching service.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Teaching Service Extension.
18.
Mr. R. Burke
No. It would not be appropriate to single out any one group of teachers for special treatment in relation to their being continued in the teaching service beyond the normal age for retirement. Provision is already made in the national teachers' superannuation scheme for the recognition for pension purposes of periods of military service given by national teachers during the period 2nd September, 1939 to 11th May, 1945.
Would the Minister agree that it is desirable that the Departments and the Civil Service Commissioners make a distinction in favour of people who gave service and in the case of those teachers—they are very few—would he not allow them to continue on this year?
Mr. R. Burke
The Deputy will have to explain what he means by the special conditions which are acceptable to the Civil Service Commission.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I will explain. The Civil Service Commission on occasion allow service in the Defence Forces to be reckoned in favour of candidates for positions from, for instance, an age point of view.
Mr. R. Burke
I thought that was what the Deputy had in mind, but that would be on taking up service. We are talking here of people leaving the service.
Would the Minister not think that the very few people involved in this could be discriminated not against but in favour of this year? Because of all these other factors, which have been mentioned by Deputy Power, lack of remedial teachers and so on, could he not for this time discriminate in favour of the people who saw service in the Defence Forces?
Mr. R. Burke
I have already replied to the Deputy that I think that it would not be appropriate to single out any one group.