I move:
That Seanad Éireann hereby confirms the Córas Iompair Éireann (Additional Powers) Order, 1977.
Córas Iompair Éireann (Additional Powers) Order, 1977: Motion.
This order will enable CIE to set up a special superannuation scheme and fund for Irish members of the British based Railway Clearing System Superannuation (RCSS) Fund Corporation which is in the process of being wound up. There are 188 contributing members and 171 superannuated members of the RCSS Fund affected by this order. These members are or were formerly employed by the Great Northern Railway Board, the County Donegal Railways Joint Committee and the Irish Railway Clearing House. The history of the RCSS Fund Corporation dates from 1873, when the fund was established for the payment of superannuation benefits to the salaried officers and clerks of such British or Irish railway companies as joined the fund. When the Great Southern Railways Company was established under the Railways Act, 1924, as the main rail company in this country, all eligible clerical and salaried employees of the company were members of the RCSS Fund. The RCSS Fund was reorganised in 1941 and the then Great Southern Railway Company (GSR) decided to withdraw from the fund and set up its own superannuation scheme and fund under the Great Southern Railway Company (Superannnuation Scheme) Act, 1947.
On the establishment of CIE in 1945 and with the passing of the GSR (Superannuation Scheme) Act, 1947, the only RCSS Fund members who were left in the country were employees of the Great Northern Railway Board, the County Donegal Railways Joint Committee, and the Irish Clearing House.
Under Acts passed in 1958 and 1971 the undertakings and staff of the Great Northern Railway Board in the State and the County Donegal Railways Joint Committee, respectively, were taken over by CIE. However, as CIE were not authorised to subscribe to the Railway Clearing System Superannuation Fund those staff who were members of that fund were only seconded to CIE, and the Great Northern Railway Board and the County Donegal Railway Joint Committee have been maintained in nominal existence pending the making of permanent arrangements for the preservation of the superannuation rights of such persons.
The Irish Railway Clearing House discontinued business in 1971, and those staff who were not retired on pension with compensation were seconded to CIE pending legislation to enable them to become employees of CIE and become members of the appropriate superannuation scheme. This legislation is in course of preparation. In the interests of the remaining Irish members it is now urgent to make this order as the RCSS Fund Corporation which is being wound up has very few remaining contributing members. This arises from the withdrawal of the British Railways Board from the fund and the passing of the Railway Clearing System Superannuation Fund Act, 1976, in Britain to dissolve the corporation and the fund. CIE are now required to make independent superannuation arrangements for the Irish members of the fund, whether as existing contributors or superannuated members. If such arrangements are not made by 1st January, 1978, in accordance with the terms of the Railway Clearing System Superannuation Fund Act, 1976, the powers, functions, rights and obligations of the RCSS Corporation will be vested in CIE.
As the Senators will appreciate I am anxious therefore that CIE be empowered as soon as possible to make special superannuation arrangements on behalf of the Irish members in advance of the date of the winding up arrangements of the RCSS. This order will so empower CIE and in addition the GNR and County Donegal Railways Joint Committee can be wound up.
I commend this motion to the Seanad.
I should like to put a specific question to the Minister. In relation to the Irish members who will be affected by this motion, I was wondering whether the Minister could indicate whether any female employees are affected. Yesterday we had a discussion in the House about the pension rights of females and the discriminatory aspect of this as regards Members of the House or Ministers of State and I wonder if the same point might arise in relation to the transfer of the contributing members of this fund.
I have not got the information as to whether they are all males or whether there are females involved.
Would the Minister be able to make this information available to me? I want to know if there are female members affected and if they are discriminated against in their pension rights under the fund. This was discussed in the Seanad yesterday and the Minister for Finance gave an undertaking to examine the matter but I do not think we should extend any further discrimination pending examination of the matter.
Of course I will make the information available.
Question put and agreed to.