asked the Minister for Finance if he will give details, if any, of the pension scheme for secretarial assistants to Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas; and, if there is no such scheme, if he will give details of his plan to introduce such a scheme.
Written Answers. - Secretarial Assistants' Pension Scheme.
302.
A superannuation scheme for secretarial assistants to Dáil Deputies who are not office holders has been in operation since November 1980. The basic conditions of the scheme are similar to those applicable to non-established civil servants. It is a non-contributory scheme, providing for a pension after 40 years' service which, together with the personal rate of social welfare pension, would give an aggregate benefit equal to one-half times pay, together with a lump sum of one-and-a-half times pay.
The scheme also provides for a death gratuity on death-in-service and preservation of benefits where a person resigns voluntarily before retiring age. Service reckonable will include service funded out of the grant for secretarial assistance and service in a similar capacity given before the grant was introduced.
The question of amending the scheme to cover the secretarial assistants to Senators is being considered.
Questions Nos. 303 to 308, inclusive, withdrawn.