asked the Minister for the Public Service the estimated cost of granting full parity of pensions to all pre-1968 public service widows and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Pensions Parity.
18.
The estimated cost of granting full parity of pensions to all pre-1968 public service widows would be £1,840,000 a year. As indicated in reply to a question on this matter on 6 March last, the question of a concession was considered in the context of the recent budget but it was decided that an increase could not be granted in present circumstances; the matter will, however, be reviewed again as sympathetically as possible when next year's budget is being prepared.
I am sure the Minister has seen newspaper reports about widows and public service pensioners who wish to know why they cannot be catered for under the second stage of the national understanding on 1 January 1980 and 1 March 1980 and who wish to know why they are being left over until 1 August and 1 September in many instances. Like people at present in the public service can they not be paid their pensions from that date?
That is a separate question. The question refers to the cost of granting full parity.
I appreciate that I am expanding this a bit.
Quite a considerable amount, actually.