Léim ar aghaidh chuig an bpríomhábhar
Gnáthamharc

Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 3 Oct 1944

Vol. 95 No. 1

Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Widows' and Orphans' Pensions.

asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state the number of persons in receipt of (1) contributory widows' pensions, (2) non-contributory widows' pensions, and the cost under each heading.

At the 31st August, 1944, the number of persons in receipt (1) of contributory widows' pensions was 9,952 and (2) of non-contributory widows' pensions was 25,220. The weekly value thereof was £6,685 2s. 0d. and £7,460 6s. 0d. respectively.

asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state the number of non-contributory pensions in respect of (a) widows, (b) orphans, and (c) widows and orphans jointly, payable at weekly rates of 1/-, 2/-, 3/-, 4/-, 5/-, 6/-, 7/-, 8/-, 9/- 10/- and over 10/-.

The information is in the form of a tabular statement which will be circulated with the Official Report.

Following is the statement referred to:—

Statement showing the numbers of non-contributory pensions payable as at the 31st August, 1944, in respect of (a) widows, and (b) orphans, at the weekly rates specified in the question is as follows. There are no pensions payable jointly in respect of widows and orphans.

Rate of Pension

Widows

Orphans

(a)

(b)

1/-

306

2/-

467

85

3/-

1,232

50

4/-

1,280

112

5/-

12,032

77

6/-

886

31

7/-

1,479

7

8/-

917

30

9/-

631

3

10/-

323

14

Over 10/-

1,365

21

asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he is aware that where a number of widows have been refused contributory pensions under the Widows' and Orphans' Pensions Acts on the grounds that at the date of death their husbands had ceased insurance for the purpose of those Acts, such cesser was due to the absence of their late husbands at work in Great Britain for a number of years; whether, in fact, the insurance of the husband is preserved in such cases for sickness and disablement benefit, and, if so, whether he will amend the law or otherwise make provision to preserve the continuity of insurance for the purpose of the Widows' and Orphans' Pensions Acts.

As regards the first part of the question, the position is that there are no reciprocal arrangements with Great Britain for widows' and orphans' pensions insurance. When a man who is insured under the Widows' and Orphans' Pensions Act leaves the country and takes up insurable employment in Great Britain he becomes insured under the Widows' and Orphans' Pensions Acts in force in Great Britain without any continuity from his Irish insurance. He remains an insured person under the Irish Acts for 12 months after the date of his last Irish stamp. If he dies within two years of that date, that is before he is fully qualified under the British scheme, and after the termination of his insurance under the Irish scheme, his widow is not entitled to a contributory pension under either scheme.

Proposals are being considered for amending legislation by which the insurance position under the Widows' and Orphans' Pensions Acts of persons who have gone or go to Great Britain for employment during the emergency will be adequately safeguarded.

Will the Parliamentary Secretary say whether the safeguarding contemplated in the amending legislation will apply retrospectively to the persons who have been denied contributory widows' pensions because of the flaws in the existing legislation?

The matter has not proceeded to the point at which I can give that assurance; but I can assure the Deputy that within a short period the proposals will be fully promulgated.

Barr
Roinn