Tairgim:
Go ndaingneofar Scéim Óglaigh na hÉireann (Pinsin) (Leasú), 1959, a d'ullmhaigh an tAire Cosanta, le toiliú an Aire Airgeadais, faoi Alt 2, 3 agus 5 d'Acht na bhFórsaí Cosanta (Pinsin), 1932, agus Alt 4 d'Acht na bhFórsaí Cosanta (Pinsin) (Leasú), 1938, agus a leagadh faoi bhráid an Tí an 21 ú lá d'Aibreán, 1959.
That the Defence Forces (Pensions) (Amendment) Scheme, 1959, prepared by the Minister for Defence, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, under Sections 2, 3 and 5 of the Defence Forces (Pensions) Act, 1932, and Section 4 of the Defence Forces (Pensions) (Amendment) Act, 1938, and laid before the House on the 21st day of April, 1959, be confirmed.
Rinneadh an Scéim seo de bhun na nActanna Fórsaí Cosanta (Pinsin), 1932 go 1957. Ní thiocfaidh sé i bhfeidham go dtí go ndaingneofar í le rún ó gach Teach den Oireachtas. Daingníodh amhlaidh cheana í ag an Seanad.
De na 18 Airteagail atá sa Scéim, is mínithe na ceithre cinn thosaigh. Baineann ceithre cinn eile—uimhreacha 7, 9, 13 agus 15—le cúrsaí léiriúcháin; nii iontu sin dáirire ach léirithe lenar glacadh nó a ceapadh riamh, a chur síos go foirmiúil. Baineann céithre cinn eile fós—uimhreacha 5, 6, 12 agus 14—le méaduithe ar an bpá scoir, na pinsin agus na haiscí de chomhaltaí áirithe de na Buan-Óglaigh, de dhroim mhéaduithe ar phá an Airm a tháinig i ngníomh ar an Iú Aibreán, 1958.
Tagann Airteagal 8 d'athscrúdú na Scéime Gearr-Sheirbhíse le haghaidh oifigigh den Aer-Chór agus, faoina réim sin, tabharfaidh na daoine a cheapfar 18 mí seirbhíse mar dhaltaí agus 5½ bliana seirbhíse mar oifigigh. I gcás daoine a ceapadh tar éis an 31ú Nollaig, 1958, ar an ábhar sin, cuireann Airteagal 8 deireadh leis an teideal chun aisce a bhí ann roimhe sin ar 3½ bliana seirbhíse a chríochnú.
Cúlghairmeann Airteagal 10 Airteagal 18 den Phríomh-Scéim lena bhforáiltear nach mór d'iar oifigigh a bheidh ag fáil pá scoir agus ar mian leo cónaí lasmuigh den Stát cead i scríbhinn a fháil ón Aire Cosanta chun sin a dhéanamh. Forálann Airteagal 11 go n-íocfar pinsean le baintreach oifigigh a céadcheapadh le haghaidh dualgas speisialta le Fórsa na nÓglach, a scoir dá dheoin féin agus nios lú ná fiche bliain seirbhíse aige agus a fuair bás le linn dó pá scoir a fháil. Mar atá an Scéim faoi láthair, níl an bhaintreach i dteideal pinsin. Toisc a gcúrsaí ar leith, rinneadh leasuithe ó am go ham nár bhain ach le hoifigigh ina leithéid chéanna de chás agus lena gcleithiúnaithe. Níl i gceist ach baintreach amháin.
Baineann Airteagail 16 agus 18 le hoifigeach a scoireanna dá dheoin féin agus níos lú ná dhá bhliain déag seirbhíse aige agus a athcheaptar ina oifigeach dá éis sin. Faoi láthair, ar an oifigeach sin a athcheapadh, ní bheadh a sheirbhís ina seirbhís inphinsin. Tá sin curtha i gceart le hAirteagal 16 agus forálann Airteagal 18, má fuair an t-oifigeach aisce i leith a chéad thréimhse sheirbhíse, go gcuirfear an aisce sin san áireamh agus méid deireanach a shochar scoir á ríomh.
Tugann Airteagal 17 cumhacht chun leanaí arna n-uchtáil faoin Acht Uchtála, 1952, a áireamh i leith sochair faoi na Scéimeanna amhail is dá mba leanaí a rugadh de phósadh dleathach do na tuismitheoirí uchtála iad, ar an gcoinníoll gur uchtáladh iad sula raibh deireadh le seirbhís an oifigigh nó an tsaighdiúra uchtála.
This Scheme is made pursuant to the Defence Forces (Pensions) Acts, 1932 to 1957. It will not come into force until it has been confirmed by a resolution of each House of the Oireachtas. It has already been so confirmed by An Seanad.
Of the eighteen Articles which make up the Scheme, the first four are definitory. Another four (those numbered 7, 9, 13 and 15) relate only to questions of interpretation; these merely express in a formal way interpretations which have always been accepted or intended.
Still another four Articles (those numbered 5, 6, 12 and 14) relate to increases in the retired pay, pensions and gratuities of certain members of the Permanent Defence Force. Increases in Army pay came into operation on the 1st April, 1958, and the Articles I have mentioned provide for proportionate increases in the retired pay, pensions and gratuities of those members of the Permanent Defence Force who, before retirement or discharge, were in receipt of the increased rates of pay.
Article 8 arises from a revision of the Short Service Scheme for officers of the Air Corps. Up to the 31st December, 1958, the Short Service Scheme provided that those appointed under its provisions would serve for six months as cadets and 3½ years as officers and that selected officers would be permitted to extend to 5½ years. Gratuities were payable to officers on completion of these periods of service. Under the revised Short Service Scheme, the persons appointed will serve for 18 months as cadets and 5½ years as officers. Article 8 removes, therefore, the entitlement to a gratuity, on completion of 3½ years' service, in the cases of persons appointed after the 31st December, 1958.
Article 10 revokes Article 18 of the Principal Scheme which provides that ex-officers in receipt of retired pay who desire to live outside the State must obtain the written permission of the Minister for Defence to do so. The Article in question is being revoked because it is not considered necessary that any restriction should be placed on the movements of retired officers, except those with commitments to the Reserve Defence Force, whose position is provided for in Defence Force Regulations.
Article 20 of the Principal Scheme as amended provides for the payment of pensions to the widows and children of deceased officers but it does not cover the case of the widow of an officer with twelve or more, but less than twenty years' service who died, following voluntary retirement, while in receipt of retired pay. Article 11 of this Scheme provides that a pension be paid to the widow of such an officer who was originally appointed for special duties with the Volunteer Force. Amendments limited to officers in this category and their dependants have been made from time to time because of their exceptional circumstances. Only one widow is involved.
Articles 16 and 18 relate to the case of an officer who retires voluntarily with less than twelve years' service and who is later reappointed to be an officer. Such a case would be that of an officer who retired to follow a religious vocation but who, not finding himself suited to the religious life, was permitted to return to the Army. At present, such an officer's service on his reappointment would not be pensionable. Article 16 adjusts this position, and Article 18 provides that if the officer received a gratuity in respect of his first period of service, that gratuity will be taken into consideration in the calculation of his final retirement benefits.
Article 17 of the scheme enables children adopted under the Adoption Act, 1952, to be reckoned for benefit under the schemes as if they were children born in lawful wedlock to the adopting parents, provided that they were adopted before termination of the service of the adopting officer or soldier.
