asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state why a person formerly employed by the National Health Insurance Society was not granted a pension on retirement.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Retirement Pension.
The person concerned retired from the service of the former National Health Insurance Society in February, 1947, over three years before the society was dissolved and its functions transferred to the Minister for Social Welfare under the Social Welfare Act, 1950. The Minister for Social Welfare had therefore no responsibility in the matter of the grant or otherwise of pension to him.
I understand however that at the time of his retirement agents were not included among the classes covered by the former society's pension scheme. The scheme was subsequently extended to include agents in certain urban areas, but the extension did not apply to agents who had already retired.
Could the Parliamentary Secretary say whether the decision to exclude agents was a matter for the National Health Insurance Society or whether it was covered by the Act?
The pension scheme instituted in 1936 for certain classes of employees of the former National Health Insurance Society specifically excluded agents.
In January, 1950, some seven months before the dissolution of the society and the transfer of its functions to the Department, the pension scheme was extended to include full-time agents remunerated by way of scale salaries serving in the County Boroughs of Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Waterford, and the Borough of Dún Laoghaire. These officers numbered 43 in all. The extension applied only to such agents serving at the time it was effected.
In view of the differentiation regarding agents who retired before the amendment of the scheme, would the Parliamentary Secretary consider making an amendment of the existing scheme to cover agents who had retired?
I will refer the matter to the Minister. That is all I can do.