I move:—
That the national school teachers' superannuation (amendment) scheme, 1954, made by the Minister for Education, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, be confirmed.
Deputies are aware that a sum is paid to primary teachers on retirement. Owing to the shortage of trained teachers at the moment, the Department decided that a number of teachers, due for retirement, would be continued in their employment for a further year. That creates a difficulty for the teachers because the scheme we have provides for a payment to teachers on retirement. Certain teachers will not retire for a year. We think it would be very disadvantageous to them if we withheld the retirement lump sum from them until they finally retired. Therefore, this scheme makes provision for the payment immediately to teachers on reaching retiring age, rather than when they retire. I think it would be unjust if we retained the moneys that are due to them when they reach the age of retirement.
There is one point in paragraph 4 (2) of the scheme. The effect of this paragraph is to ensure that if a teacher dies in the service, after having received a lump sum, a death gratuity will not be payable if, as normally happens, the lump sum and the death gratuity are of the same amount. If, however, the lump sum should be less than the death gratuity, the difference will be payable.
We have, since the 1st October, 1953, retained 29 men teachers and 38 women teachers for a further year. During that period we have decided not to retain the service of six men teachers and eight women teachers. That is generally because of health conditions, of their being unable to continue further. I recommend the scheme to the House as a very reasonable one.
