Vol. 82 No. 11
I move:
That Seanad Éireann approves of the Garda Síochána Pensions Order, 1975 made on the 23rd day of July, 1975 by the Minister for Justice with the sanction of the Minister for the Public Service under Section 13 of the Police Forces Amalgamation Act, 1925.
The Garda Síochána Pensions Order, 1975, which I ask the House to approve, provides for a minor addition to the Garda Síochána Pensions Orders which govern the award of pensions and gratuities to members of the Garda Síochána on retirement and to the widows, children and dependants of deceased members of the Force. The order before the House provides for a relatively minor amendment in the conditions governing the payment of allowances for children.
The pensions orders provide for the payment of allowances up to the age of 18 in respect of children of deceased members who are receiving full-time education. The Order now before the House raises this upper age from 18 to 21 years. In so far as these children are concerned, the order brings the Garda scheme into line with an improvement granted in the Department of Social Welfare contributory pensions scheme, under the terms of the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1969, which came into operation on 1st August, 1969.
The existence of this improvement did not come to the notice of my Department, or the Force or, I must assume, the persons directly concerned until the end of 1973 when a claim was received to have the improvement applied to the Garda Síochána. While the improvement was subsequently approved in principle, statutory effect was not given to the change because other amendments in the Garda pensions scheme were under consideration and it was hoped to incorporate them in one amending order. Because of difficulties which are largely of a technical nature these other changes have not yet been finalised and, in the circumstances, in order to avoid any further delay in applying the improved conditions for payment of children's allowances, I have agreed at the request of the Garda Pensioners Association to proceed with this amendment, leaving the other matters to be attended to later.
I commend the Order for the approval of the House.
