asked the Minister for Finance if, having regard to the hardship inflicted upon certain retired civil servants of the clerical grade, by reason of inadequate pension allowances (less than £1 per week in some cases after 39 years' continuous service), he will use his power under the Superannuation Acts to allow unestablished service to be reckoned for superannuation purposes.

If the Deputy will refer to the reply given on 19th May last to a similar question by Deputy Doyle he will see that the Government has decided in principle to accept the recommendation in paragraph 209 of the Commission of Inquiry into the Civil Service (1932-1935) to have an actuarial investigation made into the existing scheme of superannuation benefits applicable to the Civil Service generally before any important variations are considered. To that reply I am not in a position to add anything except perhaps to state that definite arrangements have now been made to have the investigation carried out.