asked the Minister for Finance if it is a fact that, as a consequence of the system of compensation for cost-of-living increases awarded to serving civil servants in 1964 being withheld from officials who had already retired, there are now several different rates of pension varying by over 30 per cent being paid to persons who retired from exactly the same position with exactly the same qualifications and responsibilities; and, if so, if he will investigate the possibility of taking any steps to eliminate such anomalies.
Ceisteanna—Questions Oral Answers. - Civil Service Pensions.
33.
As pensions are based on retiring pay and as pensioners in the same grades have retired on different pay levels the amounts of their pensions differ. However, pension increases granted up to 1st August, 1967, resulted in all civil servants receiving pensions equivalent to not less than rates based on seventh round pay levels. These amounts were further increased by 28¼ per cent, so providing full compensation for the rise in the consumer price index from December 1959, when the seventh round pay increase was granted, to June 1966, the date of the tenth round. The 5 per cent increase in pensions given last year has brought the percentage up to almost 35 per cent. Pensioners who retired on or after the eighth round pay increase of November, 1961, but before the ninth round of February 1964 have, in general, had their pensions increased by about 28 per cent, being the rise in the consumer price index between the eighth and tenth round pay increases, plus 5 per cent.
These increases have applied to other branches of the public service as well as to civil servants and they compare very favourably with practice outside the public service. The question of further increases is a matter for consideration in the context of the budgetary position.
34.
asked the Minister for Finance if he has considered the position of State pensioners whose pensions are based on pre-1964 salary scales; and if in view of the rise in the cost of living it is proposed to increase the pensions of persons in this category.
State pensioners whose pensions are based on pre-1964 salary scales have been given full compensation for the rise in the cost of living from the date of the general pay round to which their pensions are related up to June, 1966, the date of the tenth pay round. In addition they were given an additional increase of 5 per cent from last August. The question of further increases is a matter for consideration in the context of the budgetary position.
Would the Minister agree that even though they may have received increases comparable to the nominal increases in the cost of living they are still very much behind the people currently retiring from the service; and would the Minister give priority to this matter so that these people can receive pensions commensurate with those now paid to people of similar status currently retiring from the public service?
I could not undertake to give priority to this request. The Deputy knows that at Budget time there are many demands from all sorts of deserving quarters. The only thing I can say is that we have, all along, as far as our budgetary resources permitted endeavoured to help these pensioners. Of course, I do not suppose they will ever be satisfied until they get what they call parity. We have not been able to concede that; we have not had the resources to do it so far.
One of the Minister's predecessors did promise it. Senator Dr. Ryan, when he was Minister, said he would bring it up to parity.
I would have to have chapter and verse for that before I could accept it.
It should be obtainable in the Department.
Question No. 35.
We shall look forward to the Budget.