asked the Minister for Finance if, in order to convenienceofficers who have retired from the State service, he will arrange to pay pensions fortnightly where the pension does not exceed £8 per week.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Payment of State Service Pensions.
Acceptance of the Deputy's suggestion would involve the recruitment of additional staffs and I am not satisfied that any benefits that might result from the payment of pensions at shorter intervals would justify the appreciable extra expenditure involved at a time when reduction in administrative costs is essential. I might add that, following representations by the Deputy, arrangements were made in 1945 to allow Civil Service pensions which did not exceed £4 per week to be paid twice monthly where the pensioner so desired but only about one in four of the pensioners then affected chose to take advantage of the concession.