Among other points raised was one with regard to the abatement of pensions. I think Deputy Fionán Lynch and other Deputies raised that matter. On the introduction of amendment to a Bill some time ago I gave an undertaking to the House that I would bring the matter to the attention of the Government. I gave the same undertaking to the Seanad. I have carried out my undertaking. I have brought it to the attention of the Government and the Government has set up a sub-committee of the Cabinet to examine the matter. The matter is at present under discussion and will in due course be referred back to the Government for their attention. It is true, as Deputy MacEoin said to-day, that no piece of legislation has caused more dissatisfaction than the particular Pensions Act we are discussing to-day. That is true, but I suppose the answer to that is that where something in the nature of a reward is held out to people and they fail to secure that reward, it may be narrowly or by a wide measure, there is bound to be dissatisfaction. It cannot be otherwise. I wish when Deputies are listening to complaints that they would take the rational point of view and ask those who are pressing and harassing them, to do the only thing that it is possible to do, that is, to prepare an appeal, have it sworn before a commissioner for oaths and have it sent to me. In that form, and in that form only, I can deal with it. I have already told the House that I have had 808 cases of that type already referred back. I have also mentioned to the House in reply to the request to have the Secretary to the referee the person who should refer back, he is virtually doing that. The secretary to the referee has been operating in that way for quite a considerable time. If Deputies would take the line of action I have suggested they would save themselves worry, they would save the House a considerable amount of time, and they would save me a tremendous amount of worry.
There is another matter. I would not mention it but for the fact that it was referred to by at least two or three Deputies, slightingly, in some cases— namely, the question of Fianna Fáil, before they came into office, campaigning against pensions. That is true. They did that, and I am not going to deny it for a moment, but they did it conscientiously believing that they were right. While it was not one of the main planks in the election campaign because, as far as I can see, it is one that would react rather against them than for them at that particular period, nevertheless, it was during that campaign that the reference was made and a poster published. When they came into office it was their intention to operate what they honestly believed in, that is, that they would withdraw from the persons who were holding pensions already, the pensions which in fact they had been awarded. I understand that deputations of the holders of these pensions at that time were received, and the cases, from their point of view, placed before the Government. The Government, having heard that these men had built up, in many cases, very heavy commitments on the strength of the pensions which they were receiving—in some cases for housing, in others for furniture, the education of their children, etc.—decided that to proceed in the way in which they had originally intended would be a great injustice.
I want to assure Deputy Dillon, who applauded Deputy MacEoin's references to that matter, that Fianna Fáil has not a one-track mind in regard to anything the Party takes up. They could, if they wished, have gone ahead with their policy of withdrawing pensions, but they did not, because they believed, as I have already mentioned, that to have done so would have been a great injustice to certain individuals who had more or less built up their future on these pensions and had committed themselves to many undertakings which it would not have been possible to fulfil if these pensions were withdrawn. I do not think there is any room for derision in respect of the action which the Government took at that time. They took the only action that was possible, and that was to allow these men to continue to draw their pensions, and as far as possible to equalise matters by allowing colleagues of their own, who had taken a different side in the later fighting, to draw pensions also if they were entitled to them. That, as far as I am concerned, is the position in regard to that particular phase.
