asked the Minister for Transport and Power the CIE pensioners that have been granted increases; the amount involved; and the groups that were excluded and why.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - CIE Pensions.
28.
Two thousand and fifteen CIE wages grade pensioners received increases in their pensions on 1st July, 1974. These increases averaged £1.90 per week in each case and the overall annual cost to the company is £199,800.
Eight hundred and ninety clerical and supervisory grade pensioners received increases averaging £2.54 per week which cost the company £118,000 a year.
Six hundred and ninety seven wages grade pensioners and four clerical and supervisory grade pensioners did not receive any increase in pensions because on 1st July, 1974, they were already in receipt of maximum pensions under the provisions of the superannuation schemes. However, pensions under both the clerical and wages grade pension schemes will again fall to be reviewed on 1st July, 1975.
29.
asked the Minister for Transport and Power why two-thirds increase in the pensions of Córas Iompair Éireann workers granted by the Labour Court has not been fully implemented as from 1st July, 1974.
The Labour Court have not recommended a two thirds increase in the pensions of CIE wage grade pensioners. On 1st July, 1974, the Labour Court recommended that similar arrangements to those obtaining for public service employees should be made for CIE wage grade pensioners with effect from 1st July, 1974. The court also recommended that in calculating total pension, that is, two thirds of the rate of pay in force on 1st July each year, account should be taken of personal social welfare benefits paid by the State but exclusive of such benefits paid in respect of dependants.
Following the issue of the recommendation CIE granted pensions to wages grade pensioners equal to those which they would have received had they retired on 1st July, 1974. The company also undertook to review these pensions in the light of the position current on the 1st July each year in future.
Under the provisions of the Transport Act, 1950, the onus is on CIE to make proposals to me for both new and amending superannuation schemes. The full implemetation of the court's recommendation in relation to the calculation of CIE pensions would involve a radical change in the structure of the statutory CIE wages grade pension schemes and I understand that CIE are at present in consultation with the trade unions on the question of amendments to the wages grades pension schemes.