I move:—
Go ndeontar suim ná raghaidh that £166,667 chun slánuithe na suime is gá chun íoctha an Mhuirir a thiocfaidh chun bheith iníoctha i rith na bliana dar críoch an 31adh lá de Mhárta, 1938, chun a íoctha isteach sa Chuntas Suncála Pinsean [Acht um Pinsin do Bhaintreacha agus do Dhílleachtaithe, 1935 (Uimh. 29 de 1935), Alt 42 (2)].
That a sum not exceeding £166,667 be granted to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st March, 1938, for payment to the Pensions Investment Account [Widows' and Orphans' Pensions Act, 1935 (No. 29 of 1935), Section 42 (2)].
The sum now asked for is to complete the annual sum of £250,000 which is required to be paid into the "Pensions Investments Account" under Section 42 of the Widows' and Orphans' Pensions Act, 1935. This annual sum of £250,000 represents the equalised subvention over the first ten years of the operation of the scheme of pensions established by the Act of 1935 in order to meet the net excess of expenditure over income during that period. Under the Amending Act of this year the scheme of non-contributory pensions has been greatly extended and provision is made in that Act for a corresponding increase in the annual State subvention by an amount of £200,000 for each of the eight remaining years of the first ten year period. Provision will be made for this in a later estimate.
The following is a statement of the position as at 27th March:—28,624 claims for non-contributory pensions were received. This figure includes 510 claims for contributory pensions which, having failed to qualify under the contributory provisions of the Acts, were transferred to the non-contributory class. Out of these 28,624 claims, pensions were awarded in 15,685 cases; pensions were refused in 11,631 cases; claims were withdrawn in 514 cases, and there are 794 claims under examination. 2,215 claims for contributory pensions were received, but of that number 510 claims failed to satisfy the contribution test and were transferred to the non-contributory class. Out of the remaining 1,705 cases contributory pensions were awarded in 1,032 cases; pensions were refused in 185 cases; seven claims were withdrawn and there are still 481 claims under examination.
The wider scope of the amending legislation which has been passed has had the effect of increasing considerably the number of claims received in the last few weeks, and the number of claims under consideration has increased correspondingly. In most of these cases title to pension does not arise under the Act of 1935 but will arise under the Amending Act. It is anticipated also that in the case of many claims which were rejected under the Act of 1935 pensions will be payable under the new Act. Those claims are being re-examined at present.
Appeals to referees against decisions that pensions were not payable, or were payable at a reduced rate, were received in 3,534 cases. Considerable progress has been made in dealing with these appeals. Decisions have been given in 3,024 cases, leaving 510 cases still to be decided.
