I move:—
Go ndeontar suim ná raghaidh thar £391,086 chun slánuithe na suime is gá chun íoctha an Mhuirir a thiocfaidh chun bheith iníoctha i rith na bliana dar críoch an 31adh lá de Mhárta, 1940, chun Pinsean Créachta agus Mí-ábaltachta, Pinsean Breise agus Pinsean Fear Pósta, Liúntaisí agus Aiscí (Uimh. 26 de 1923, Uimh. 12 de 1927, Uimh. 24 de 1932, agus Uimh. 15 de 1937); chun Pinsean, Liúntaisí agus Aiscí Seirbhíse Míleata (Uimh. 48 de 1924, Uimh. 26 de 1932 agus Uimh. 43 de 1934); chun Pinsean, Liúntaisí agus Aiscí (Uimh. 37 de 1936); agus chun sintiúisí agus costaisí iolardha ina dtaobh san, etc.
That a sum not exceeding £391,086 be granted to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1940, for Wound and Disability Pensions, Further Pensions and Married Pensions, Allowances and Gratuities (No. 26 of 1923, No. 12 of 1927, No.24 of 1932, and No. 15 of 1937); Military Service Pensions, Allowances and Gratuities (No. 48 of 1924, No. 26 of 1932 and No.43 of 1934); Pensions, Allowances and Gratuities (No. 37 of 1936), and for sundry contributions and expenses in respect thereof, etc.
The total amount, £586,636, required for the service of this Vote during the financial year 1939/40 may be roughly divided into the following categories of expenditure:—Cost of administration, £19,584: incidental expenses, £3,982; cost of awards, £563,070; total, £586,636.
The main service of the Vote, the award of pensions, allowances and gratuities is distributed over five subheads according as the service relates to—
(a) Disability pensions and gratuities under the Army Pensions Acts, 1923-1937 (sub-head G);
(b) Allowances and gratuities under the same Acts (sub-head H);
(c) Service pensions under the Military Service Pensions Acts, 1924-1934 (sub-head K);
(d) Pensions and gratuities under the Defence Forces Pensions Scheme, 1937 (sub-head L);
(e) Pensions and allowances under the Connaught Rangers Pensions Act, 1936 (sub-head O).
The total statutory liability under those various Acts—excluding a sum of £300 for educational expenditure—is estimated to cost £562,770 during the financial year, but in order to appreciate the significance of those figures it is necessary to distinguish between—
(a) Awards actually under payment;
(b) Awards that may be made during the financial year;
(c) The arrears of pensions inherent in some of the awards that may be made during the year;
(d) Non-recurring awards, such as gratuities.
The Awards actually under payment to date in accordance with Statutes passed by the Oireachtas are:—
£ |
|||||
(a) |
425 |
Pensions under the |
1923 |
Act costing |
24,540 |
(b) |
136 |
Allowances,, |
1923 |
,, |
6,134 |
(c) |
113 |
Pensions ,, |
1927 |
,, |
10,934 |
(d) |
96 |
Allowances,, |
1927 |
,, |
3,001 |
(e) |
430 |
Pensions,, |
1932 |
,, |
41,599 |
(f) |
164 |
Allowances,, |
1932 |
,, |
5,701 |
(g) |
63 |
Pensions,, |
1937 |
,, |
3,253 |
(h) |
15 |
Allowances,, |
1937 |
,, |
2,780 |
(i) |
3,187 |
Pensions,, |
1924 |
,, |
152,512 |
(j) |
6,170 |
Pensions,, |
1934 |
,, |
191,896 |
(k) |
26 |
Pensions,, |
1932 |
Act (Retired Pay) costing |
1,066 |
(l) |
37 |
Pensions,, |
1936 |
Act (Connaught Rangers) costing |
1,119 |
Total: 10,862 Awards under the 8 Acts, costing |
£444,535 |
||||
In addition to those 10,862 Awards, costing £444,615, the Estimate provides for new awards as follows:—
£ |
|||||
(a) |
30 |
Pensions |
under the |
1932 Act costing |
3,000 |
(b) |
26 |
Allowances |
,, |
1932,, |
908 |
(c) |
57 |
Pensions |
,, |
1937,, |
3,199 |
(d) |
65 |
Allowances |
,, |
1937,, |
1,300 |
(e) |
13 |
Pensions |
,, |
1924,, |
614 |
(f) |
1,146 |
Pensions |
,, |
1934,, |
23,036 |
(g) |
48 |
Pensions |
,, |
1932,,(Retired Pay) |
3,578 |
(h) |
1 |
Pension |
,, |
1936,,(Connaught Rangers) |
47 |
Total: 1,386 awards during the coming year under 6 Acts, costing |
£35,682 |
||||
Certain of the 1,386 awards carry, however, with them arrears of pensions, and the arrears for which the Estimate provide are:—
£ |
|||
Under the |
1932 Act for |
Pensions |
5,500 |
,, |
1932,, |
Allowances |
1,285 |
,, |
1937,, |
Pensions |
2,931 |
,, |
1937,, |
Allowances |
1,467 |
,, |
1934,, |
Pensions |
94,500 |
Total Arrears |
£105,683 |
This £105,683 is, of course, non-recurring. Another non-recurring item included in the Estimate is the award of gratuities as distinct from pensions or allowances, and the gratuities provided for are:—
£ |
|
Under the 1927 Act |
300 |
Under the 1932 Act |
2,520 |
Under the 1932 Act (retired pay) |
7,290 |
Total |
£10,110 |
The cost of the main service of the Vote, the cost of awards, is, therefore, briefly as follows:—
£ |
|
Awards under payment |
444,535 |
New awards |
35,682 |
Arrears following new awards |
105,683 |
Gratuities |
10,110 |
Total |
£596,010 |
It will thus be seen that of the total £596,010, the sum of £115,793 is a non-recurring liability.
From this sum of £596,010 there have to be made deduction in respect of deaths, and abatements under Section 8 of the 1924 Act and Section 20 of the 1934 Act in respect of pensioners being in receipt of remuneration, other pensions or allowances payable out of public moneys. On foot of such abatements, a sum of £28,000 is estimated to be saved, and another sum of £5,240 is expected not to fall for payment owing to casualties during the year. Hence from the £596,010 we deduct £33,240 and get as the net cost of awards the sum of £562,770, of which the sum of £446,977 may be regarded as a recurring item of annual expenditure.