Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 5 Feb 1991

Vol. 404 No. 6

Written Answers. - Hospital Sweepstakes' Former Employees.

Jim Mitchell

Question:

190 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health if he will give details of the categories of former employees of the Irish Hospitals Sweepstakes who will now receive extra payment in planned legislation; the average payment involved and the way in which it was computed; the rationale for choosing these categories for extra payment; and in a case (details supplied), whether the person concerned is entitled to some extra payment.

Minister for Health (Dr. O'Hanlon)

The relevant Act is the Public Hospitals (Amendment) Act, 1990 (No. 30 of 1990).

As was indicated in the passage of the Bill through the Houses of the Oireachtas, the money available is being distributed among the two categories of former employees of Hospital Trust (1940) Limited generally regarded as being the most seriously disadvantaged when the company ceased operating.

The two groups are: (1) former employees still living who opted for early retirement in 1978 or later and from whom anex-gratia element of pension entitlement was withdrawn in 1987 and (2) former employees still living who were made redundant when the company was placed in voluntary liquidation in 1987. Spouses of deceased persons belonging to either of the above categories will receive the amount which the deceased person would have been qualified to receive.

Persons in category one above will receive a flat rate payment of £1,000. The balance of moneys available for category one payments have been finalised and will be distributed among persons in category two on the age and service weighted basis used to calculate statutory redundancy payments. While persons in category two have been given interim payments, I will not be in a position to indicate what the fianl amounts will be until payments in the case of category one have been finalised.

I have received an application from the former employee referred to by the Deputy. She will not be entitled to any payment as she does not qualify under either of the two categories of employees who benefit under the legislation. She is not being disadvantaged as compared to other employees who ceased to be employed by the company in similar circumstances to herself.