I move:
That, pursuant to Section 5 (2) of the Irish Universities Act, 1908, Statute LXXXVIII of University College, Cork, which was laid before Dáil Éireann on 27th May, 1974, and the following parts of University College, Cork Statute LXXXV which was also laid before Dáil Éireann on 27th May, 1974:
(a) Paragraphs (1), (3), (4), (5), (6) and (7) of Chapter I of the Schedule to that Statute, and
(b) Part I and paragraphs (3), (4), (5), (6) and (7) of part II of the Appendix to the Schedule to that Statute
be and are hereby disallowed.
The reason for this motion is that the proposed amendments to University College, Cork's pension scheme would introduce superannuation conditions which are more generous than those applicable to the public service generally. Since 1971 there has been correspondence and discussion between my Department and the college authorities on the matter.
The existing pension scheme provides a choice to a participant between a maximum pension of two-thirds of salary at retirement without a lump sum or a maximum pension of half salary plus a maximum lump sum equal to one-and-a-half times salary. These benefits are in line with those normally found in the public sector.
Statute LXXXV proposed that a participant would receive a maximum pension of two-thirds of his retiring salary plus a maximum lump sum equivalent to twice his retiring salary, the amount of the lump sum to be reduced by 10 per cent for each year's service after age 65. Alternatively, a participant might choose to commute a portion of his annual pension in which case he would receive a maximum lump sum on retirement equal to one-and-a-half times his salary in addition to a maximum pension equivalent to half of his salary at retirement.
The college authorities were informed that if the statute were laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas, without amendment, the Minister for Education would feel obliged to introduce a motion disallowing the relevant provisions. The college authorities felt that they had no option but to agree to the amendment of statute LXXXV. The Governing Body, therefore, made statute LXXXVIII the provisions of which gave a participant a choice between a maximum pension of two-thirds or a lump sum maximum of one-and-a-half times of retiring salary plus a maximum pension of half of retiring salary, and that in either case a lump sum equivalent to one year's salary would be payable also.
This provision was also contested by the Department of Education on the grounds that it exceeded the provision obtaining in the public service generally and the college authorities were once again informed that if the statute were to be laid before the Oireachtas the Minister would have to introduce a motion to disallow the parts that were regarded as being substantially out of line with public service superannuation conditions generally.
As I have already said, there has been correspondence and discussion on this matter since 1971, and the long delay in laying both statutes before the Oireachtas is due to the reluctance of the Minister for Education to introduce a motion to disallow the parts-of the statutes about which there is disagreement. The college authorities have, however, insisted on the statutory presentation of the statutes to the Houses of the Oireachtas.
I have had no option, therefore, in the circumstances but to introduce this motion. I do so reluctantly. Our university institutions hold a respected place in our society. As institutions they enjoy a much prized autonomy. That autonomy, however, is not so unrestricted that they can be permitted to determine superannuation conditions which are more generous than those which apply in the public sector. Improvement in superannuation benefits is, of course, effected from time to time but the question inevitably arises of the assessment of an appropriate contribution to be made by the beneficiaries. The superannuation scheme in UCC is non-contributory and no provision has been made in the statutes in question for any contribution to be made for the additional benefits which the college seeks to introduce.
