asked the Minister for the Public Service if he will consider allowing pre-1968 civil service widows to join the Civil Service Widows Pension Scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Civil Service Widows Pension Scheme.
20.
Pension benefits for the widows and children of civil servants are provided on the basis of contributions being paid by officers serving on or after 23rd July, 1968, to cover the risk of predeceasing their wives. Those who had retired or died prior to that date were not covered and paid no contributions. Accordingly their widows could not benefit under the scheme. It is, of course, clear that a scheme framed to cover a potential risk would not be appropriate where the contingency had already arisen, due to the husband's death.
A special scheme was provided on an ex-gratia basis as from 1st October, 1969, for the widows and children of those who retired or died prior to the introduction of the contributory scheme. It enables pensions of onehalf of the rate payable under the contributory scheme to be awarded to such widows. The current annual rate of expenditure on these pensions for the public service, including the civil service, is £2,900,000, so to double the rate would entail an extra annual charge of £2,900,000 on already overburdened Exchequer resources. This figure does not allow for the possibility of claims from other groups for compensatory increases.
The question of existing members of the contributory scheme making higher contributions to meet the cost of improving the ex-gratia pensions, was taken up with staff side representatives but no positive reaction was obtained. I should point out, however, that because of the annual pension increases for public service pensioners, the average ex-gratia pension went up by at least 29 per cent this year. Since the scheme was introduced in 1969, the rates have risen, on average, by approximately 173 per cent.
Accordingly, I am afraid that, in present circumstances, it is not feasible to double the existing rate of pension for pre-1968 civil service widows.