asked the Minister for Finance if he will state (a) the number of widowed civil servants who have been re-established in the service; (b) whether such persons are eligible for payment of children's allowances on the same scale as that payable to married civil servants; and, if not, the estimated cost of paying children's allowances to such persons, and (c) whether the Government intends to bring in proposals for legislation to make children's allowances payable to such persons.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Civil Service Widows' and Children's Allowances.
(a) Eighty-seven widows have been reinstated in the Civil Service in a pensionable capacity since 1937, when the present arrangements for their reinstatement were introduced. (b) Reinstated widows are noteligible in their own right for payment of Civil Service children's allowances. No estimate can be given of the cost of paying such allowances as the necessary particulars are not available. (c) It is not proposed to introduce payment of children's allowances to reinstated widows.
The Deputy may not be aware that the Civil Service scheme of children's allowances applies only to a proportion of the married men in the service, namely, those in classes which contribute by receiving lower salary rates whilst unmarried. Men civil servants not conditioned to these lower salary rates do not on marriage become eligible for children's allowances as they have not made any contribution. Equally as women civil servants make no contribution they cannot qualify for benefit.