asked the Minister for Transport and Power whether the Government will consider the amendment of Section 42 of the Transport Act, 1950, to give Córas Iompair Éireann discretion to commute compensation pensions in their entirety at the desire of the pensioner instead of the present arangement which restricts them to commuting one quarter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Commuting of CIE Compensation Pensions.
53.
There are a number of objections to the Deputy's proposal which would have to be very carefully examined but the matter is being noted for consideration in connection with projected transport legislation.
Would the Minister say if his mind has been directed to the fact that the weekly receipt of the sum of 8/- or 10/- is of relatively little value to country people who are rearing a young family, as many of these people are, whereas the capitalisation of such a sum does frequently provide them with a stake? They are not over 70: they are very much younger. Some of them are only in their thirties or forties. Persons who are raising a family can, by the capitalisation of such a sum, get a stake which enables them to engage in some other remunerative occupation which would give them a much more satisfactory return than the microscopic remnant of pension that remains to them.
There is some case for making a change but the matter must be examined in conjunction with redundancy.
It will be sympathetically considered?
It will be.