asked the Minister for Education if he will ensure that teachers who retired prior to the 1st January, 1950, get the same pension rights as teachers retiring subsequent to that date.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Teachers' Pension Rights.
Teachers who retired prior to 1950 have been given in full the pension benefits to which they were entitled under the statutory superannuation schemes at the date of their retirement. It would be a completely unacceptable principle that, whenever improved superannuation benefits are introduced for serving teachers, those benefits should be applicable to those who had already retired. The decision which I announced in October last, regarding the payment of a lump sum to those who retired before 1st January, 1950, on a reduced basis as compared with that payable to teachers retiring after that date, was taken solely as an act of grace and represents the maximum concession which can be made to those teachers.
Does the Parliamentary Secretary not agree that a pension granted to a teacher seven or eight years ago is now entirely inadequate having regard to the depreciation in the value of money?
Could we not have a few more acts of grace?
As has been indicated in the reply, this is an act of grace and I do not think I can add anything to the information given.