asked the Minister for Education if he has received a claim by pensioned national teachers that their pensions be based on current salaries; and, if so, if he will express his intentions on the matter.

53.

(Cavan) asked the Minister for Education if he will take steps to have pensions of retired national teachers based on current salaries and to increase them accordingly.

I propose, a Cheann Comhairle, with your permission, to take Questions Nos. 52 and 53 together.

I have received representations from a number of pensioned national teachers that their pensions be based on current salaries. This is not, however, a matter which could be considered in relation to any one group of persons superannuated from public funds without reference to other groups of retired State servants.

The question of pension increases for retired State servants generally is one for the Minister for Finance.

(Cavan): Would the Minister not agree that it is only equitable that this category of pensioners and, indeed, all other pensioners, should be compensated for the steep increase in the cost of living and the reduction in the value of money?

The Deputy is well aware that any Government can only be equitable within the bounds of possibility with regard to financial resources.

(Cavan): Does the Minister agree that it is not fair that serving civil servants and quasicivil servants, because they can make their presence felt, do get a hearing but that when people are retired they are thrown on the scrap heap, as it were, and forgotten about, notwithstanding any increase in the cost of living?

This is not a matter into which I am going to enter. It is a matter for the Minister for Finance to consider in the general budgetary context. The Deputy is well aware of that.

(Cavan): I shall pass from the matter by asking the Minister for Education to make recommendations to his colleague, the Minister for Finance, to do justice to these people.

We do not make recommendations. We act as a Government team.

That is disputable.

(Cavan): While that is not very apparent, I ask the Minister for Education to put forward a case on behalf of this category of persons at the next meeting of the Cabinet.

I have all the sympathy in the world for this particular category of persons and everything will be done for them within the relevance of financial possibility. That is the answer to that.

(Cavan): The Minister will appreciate that sympathy per se is not much use to these people and I am asking him to put forward their case at the Cabinet meeting.