asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether his attention had been called to a statement that a proposal to pay pensions to employees of local councils was rejected by the General Council of County Councils; whether he can give any information as to the accuracy of the statement, and the date on which the body referred to above considered the matter.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - PENSIONS OF COUNTY COUNCIL EMPLOYEES.
I am informed that a statement of the nature referred to was attributed to the President, who immediately the matter was brought to his notice wrote to the General Council of County Councils expressing regret that any misunderstanding should have arisen as a result of his inaccurate recollection of the facts, and that he would take the earliest favourable opportunity of correcting any erroneous impression inadvertently given in the statement.
I am informed that on the 22nd February, 1922, it was decided by the General Council of County Councils to postpone consideration of the proposal until after a general revision of road schemes. The matter was again considered by that body last year and a recommendation made that power should be given to public bodies to inaugurate pension schemes for manual workers and to fix age limits for service.
In view of that repudiation of the statement made here will the Minister now consider the advisability of making provision in the new Local Government Bill before the Dáil to put that into operation?
I understand that this proposal of the General Council of County Councils is being considered with a view to seeing whether or not a section should be introduced into the Local Government Bill.