asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware that deductions in respect of life assurance premiums from the pensions of retired civil servants, paid by the Paymaster General's Office, are made three months in advance of payment to the insurance company, while similar deductions in respect of Post Office pensions are paid over on deduction; and that the practice of the Paymaster General's Office causes hardship to the pensioners concerned; and if he will accordingly arrange that the Post Office practice in this respect be adopted by the Paymaster General's Office.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Assurance Premiums: Pension Deductions.
29.
The practice in the Office of the Paymaster General has been in operation since the setting up of that Office forty years ago with, among other functions, the function of paying the civil pensioners of all Departments except the Department of Posts and Telegraphs. It was adopted for administrative reasons and there is no record that any pensioner expressed dissatisfaction with it until one complaint was received recently.
The possibility of adopting the same practice as the Department of Posts and Telegraphs is being explored.