Vol. 474 No. 4
129 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will allow primary teachers working as substitutes on 6 April 1995, and paying full rate PRSI Class A who subsequently take up teaching employment in a temporary or permanent capacity to be admitted to modified PRSI Class D status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3231/97]
130 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for Social Welfare if primary teachers on career breaks who resign their posts whilst on career break and on the following day, re-enter the teaching service in a pensionable capacity will continue to pay PRSI at the modified rate of Class D if paying at that rate prior to going on career break; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3232/97]
131 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will allow primary teachers who gave teaching service prior to 6 April 1995, but who were out of the service without contracts on 6 April 1995, to continue paying modified rates of PRSI Class D on subsequently re-entering the primary teaching service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3233/97]
132 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason student primary teachers who were admitted to colleges of education prior to 6 April 1995, in the expectation that after graduation they would be employed in positions which carried a modified rate of PRSI Class D are obliged to pay the full rate of PRSI Class A on taking up employment after graduation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3234/97]
133 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for Social Welfare if certain categories of permanent and/or temporary employees of Telecom Éireann appointed on or after 6 April 1995 pay a modified rate of PRSI Class D; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3235/97]
134 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for Social Welfare if trainee gardaí who entered the Garda Training College prior to 6 April 1995 pay a modified rate of PRSI Class D when formally staffed and granted contracts on or after 6 April 1995; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3236/97]
135 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will allow primary teachers working as temporary teachers on modified rates of PRSI Class D immediately prior to 6 April 1995, who on that date were working as substitute teachers and thereafter worked continuously as temporary or permanent teachers to be admitted to modified PRSI Class D status, in accordance with SI No. 77 of 1995, Part III, P(e); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3237/97]
It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134 and 135 together.
All new employees recruited to the public service after 5 April 1995 are subject to full PRSI rates. Staff recruited to the public service in a permanent and pensionable capacity prior to that date or who subsequently transfer between areas within the service without a break in service continue to be insured at the modified rates of insurance.
A person who worked as a temporary teacher over the operative date and who became employed with the same employer in a pensionable capacity without a break in service would then become insurable at the modified rate.
A primary teacher who is insured at the modified rate and who returns after a career break with the same employer without a break in service would similarly be insurable at the modified rate.
Regarding the position of primary teachers who were out of the service without contracts on the operative date, they would be insurable at the full rate if they subsequently re-entered primary teaching.
The measures arose from recommendations of the Commission on Social Welfare and were discussed in detail with the staff interests concerned before being applied under the Social Welfare (Modifications of Insurance) (Amendment) Regulations, 1995 (SI No. 77 of 1995). There are no proposals to change these arrangements.
Certain transitional provisions were included concerning persons such as garda trainees, armed forces cadets who were serving on the operative date. Where they subsequently qualified as full officers and without a break in the service, they were then insured at the modified rate.
In the case of employees of Bord Telecom, the modified rate of contributions only applies to persons who were insured at the modified rate on 5 April 1995.
Regarding students who entered colleges of education prior to 6 April 1995 they were not in insurable employment. Neither did such persons have a guarantee of employment after they qualified as teachers after that date and consequently they are insured at the full PRSI rate when becoming employed after the operative date.
