asked the Minister for Finance whether he is aware of the hardships suffered, at present, by persons who retired from the service of the State on small pensions; and whether, in view of the continued increase in the cost of living, he will now consider the grant of an increase in pensions so as to mitigate existing hardships.
Ceisteanna—Questions Oral Answers. - State Pensioners.
I would refer the Deputy to my reply to previous questions by Deputy Byrne on the 28th January last on this subject, to which I have nothing to add.
Bearing in mind that the Minister has introduced proposals for legislation in this House to grant a 30 per cent. increase, approximately, to Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries, Deputies and members of the judiciary because of the fact that the cost of living has increased by 30 per cent. over 1939, will he explain to the House why he is unable to grant at least that percentage increase to persons who are living on pensions which are only a small fragment of the salaries which he now proposes to increase by 30 per cent.?
The pensions are awarded for past services. They are deferred pay for past services. All the people who are drawing pensions at the moment are getting what the State contracted to give them. If they are not getting it, they have a remedy. I do not know where it will lead to if we start increasing pensions that were given for services in the past.
Is it not a fact that the State had a contract with Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries, the Comptroller and Auditor-General, Deputies and judges, and that notwithstanding that fact the State, through the Minister, has now felt it desirable to increase the salaries and allowances by 30 per cent.? Bearing in mind the fact that the Six-County Government have already increased pensions by 50 per cent., does the Minister not consider that in this portion of the country some steps ought to be taken to relieve the plight of lowly-paid pensioners when the £ we were giving them in 1939 is now admitted to be worth no more than 10/-?
Has the Minister considered the extreme hardship under which postmen who retired either immediately prior to the emergency or in the early years of the emergency are now living? Will he consider making a special concession to these citizens?
These pensions are not social services. There is no means test in connection with them. All the State pensioners get the sum that they were to obtain. If we are to depart from that, I do not know where it will lead us.