Tairgim:—
Go ndaigneofar Scéim Aoisliúntais na Múinteoirí Scoile Náisiúnta (Leasú), 1958, a rinne an tAire Oideachais le toiliú an Aire Airgeadais.
Scéim Aoisliúntais na Múinteoirí Scoile Náisiúnta (Leasú), 1958—Tairiscint Daingnithe.
An Leasú atá dá bheartú anois ar Scéimeanna Aoisliúntais na Múinteorí Náisiúnta, tá dhá chuspóir ag baint leis. An chéad cheann, sé is bun leis ná freastal a dhéanamh i leith aiscí pósta i gcás ban-mhúinteoirí a bhí i seirbhís roimh lú Iúil, 1958, agus a phósann ina dhiaidh sin. Ach seirbhís áirithe a bheith tugtha acu bhíodar san i dteideal aiscí pósta d'fhail fhaid is a lean an riail a chuir cosc ar bhan-mhúinteoirí pósta a bheith ag teagasc i bhfeidhm. Ní rabhadar i dteideal aiscí pósta a thuilleadh nuair a cuireadh an riail sin ar ceal. Measadh, ámh, nach mbeadh sé cothrom aisce pósta do choimeád siar ó aoinne acu gur theastaigh uaithi éirí as an tseirbhís ar phósadh di, go háirithe nuair a tháinig sí isteach sa tseirbhís fén dtuiscint go n-éireodh sí as ar phósadh di agus go bhfaighfeadh sí aisce, má bhí seirbhís sáthach fada chuige sin tugtha aici. Tá socrú dá réir sa scéim leasaithe. Tá foráil ann freisin chun réiteach do chás ina n-íocfaí aisce pósta fén socrú nua agus ina a dtiocfadh an ban-mhúinteoir a bheadh i gceist ar ais i mbun obair scoile. Sa chás san níor mhór di an aisce maraon le 5 faoin gcéad ús iolraithe d'aisíoc chun go bhféadfaí a seirbhís roimh pósadh di d'áireamh arís mar sheirbhís inphinsin.
An dara cuspóir atá ag an leasú ná éifeacht a thabhairt do mholadh a deineadh ag an Chomhairle Idir-Réitigh do na Múinteoirí Náisiúnta. Fén mholadh san d'fhanfadh na múinteoirí i seirbhís inphinsin go dtí deireadh na scoil-bhliana ina sroisfidís 65 bliana d'aois. Tá a leithéid de shochrú ann cheana féin do na Meán-Mhúinteoirí agus do na Ceárd-Mhú inteoirí. Go dtí seo bhíodh ar Mhúinteoirí Náisiúnta éirí as seirbhís inphinsin ag deireadh na ráithe ina sroisidís 65 bliana d'aois.
If I may repeat briefly in English what I have just said, the purpose of this amendment to the National Teachers' Superannuation Scheme is two fold. First, consequent on the removal of the marriage ban on women teachers, it was necessary to make an amendment in the superannuation scheme in the case of women teachers who were serving before 1st July, 1958. These teachers entered the service on the understanding that they would be entitled on marriage to receive a marriage gratuity. When the marriage ban was removed, they no longer would be entitled to such gratuities, but it was felt that it would be inequitable to deny a marriage gratuity to any such women. Therefore, the amendment scheme provides that she will be entitled to her gratuity on marriage but if she decides subsequently to return to the teaching service, she will be required to refund the gratuity, together with compound interest at the rate of 5 per cent. in order that her service prior to marriage may again be reckoned as pensionable service.
The second object of the amending scheme is to give effect to a recommendation of the Conciliation Council for National Teachers whereby such teachers will be allowed to remain in pensionable service until the end of the school year in which they attain the age of 65. This arrangement is consistent with what operates in respect to secondary and vocational teachers at the present time. Hitherto, national teachers were required to retire at the end of the term in which they reached 65 years. This, as I have said, brings them into line with the other two branches of the teaching profession. Those are the two main purposes of the amendment and I am sure the Seanad will have no difficulty in accepting them.
This is certainly a desirable amendment to the superannuation scheme for teachers. The provisions which are being made in relation to the payment of the gratuity on marriage and its refund with compound interest in the case of a person who returns to the service are general practice in the case of persons remunerated out of public funds. I am glad to note that the other amendment being incorporated with the scheme is the result of an agreed recommendation of the Conciliation Council for National Teachers. It is merely an illustration of the benefit of the existence of such a council.
I am not too happy, as a member of the Seanad Statutory Instruments Committee, with the manner in which these amendments are being given effect to. I think there has been cause for complaint, on the part of the Statutory Instruments Committee, that amendments of this kind are dealt with in the way they are dealt with in this instrument.
If you refer to paragraph 5, subparagraph (3) you find:—
"References to paragraph 18 of the principal scheme contained in paragraph 6 of the scheme of 1943, paragraph 11 of the scheme of 1947, paragraph 10 of the scheme of 1948 and paragraph 9 of the scheme of 1950 shall be construed as references to that paragraph as amended by sub-paragraph (1) of this paragraph."
That is the kind of thing which the Statutory Instruments Committee has been encouraging Departments to get away from. I hope it may be possible, at some stage, to put into one code, that will be clear to all the people concerned, what the position is in relation to the superannuation of teachers.
There is one thing I regret I did not see in this amendment of the superannuation scheme for teachers. It is that a very small section of pensioned teachers, those who retired prior to 1946, are not catered for in it.
That does not come into this.
The people I am referring to are the teachers, men and women, who retired prior to 1946 and who never got the same gratuity as people who retired since.
That matter scarcely arises on this motion. The whole problem of superannuation schemes is not under discussion. The Senator ought to confine himself to the two proposals contained, I think, in paragraph 6 and paragraph 7. The whole problem of superannuation is not thrown open on this motion.
Having expressed my regret, Sir, I content myself.
I am glad to see this motion before the House because for many years I have listened, at T.U.C. and other conferences, to teachers calling for a removal of the marriage ban, and they have always got the sympathy of the trade union movement, largely, I think, because of the fact that there is a shortage of teachers and also because of the fact that so many untrained teachers are employed in the primary schools.
These are matters that scarcely arise on this motion.
The motion deals with the lifting of the marriage ban.
The Senator should not widen the discussion unduly. This is a rather restricted motion.
I agree, but I thought I was following what was said by the Minister about the lifting of the marriage ban, and expressing the hope that that would relieve the shortage of teachers and permit the number of pupils to be reduced in classes. For those reasons, I welcome the motion.
Is cúis áthais domsa go bhfuil an socrú seo dhá dhéanamh i leith na mbanmhúinteoirí pósta agus go bhfuil, san am gcéanna, socrú dhá dhéanamh maidir leis na múinteoirí sa tseirbhís i dtaobh cúrsaí tuarastail. B'fhéidir go n-abróidh an tAire linn conus atá sé beartaithe an tairgead a íoch. An bhfuil sé socraithe go nglacfar é ó am go ham?
Tá rud eile ann, agus is dóigh liom go mba cheart go mbeadh fios againn ar conus tá an scéal. Is seirbhísí poiblí iad na ban-mhúinteoirí. Taobh amuigh de na daoine sin, tá mná ag obair ar son an Stáit in áiteacha ar nós na Roinne Poist agus Telegrafa. An bhfuil deontas pósta le fáil ag na daoine sin chomh maith? Faoin socrú nua, an mbeidh deontas pósta le fáil ag ban-mhúinteoirí amach anso?
Chun freagra a thúirt ar an bpoinnte deireanach ar dtús, bean ar bith a thiocfaidh isteach sa tsheirbhís tar éis an chéad lá de mhí Iúil, 1958, ní bheidh an aisce pósta i gceist ach ní bheidh uirthe éirí as a post.
With regard to the point raised by Senator O'Quigley, I share with him an abhorrence of legislation by reference, but I think I can assure him, with regard to this scheme, that the consolidation of it and other superannuation schemes under my control is under active consideration. I do not think there was any other point made. Senator Murphy was slightly inclined to widen the scope of the debate but I do not think that the merits of the removal of the marriage ban have been under discussion.
Bhí ceist eile agam. Conus a íocfar an t-airgead?
Is féidir an t-airgead a íoch tar éis tréimhse. Ní bheidh an tréimhse cinnte.
Question put and agreed to.
Guidhim Nollaig shona agus nua bhlian fé mhaise do chomhaltaí agus oifigí an tSeanad. Before adjourning the Seanad sine die, I wish to offer every good wish for Christmas and the new year to the members of the House and the officials of the Seanad.
The Seanad adjourned sine die at 6.10 p.m.