asked the Minister for Education why retired pensioned teachers do not receive their increases until November next while regular teachers qualify in July.

Payment of pensions at the increased rate effective from 1st July, 1975, together with accumulated arrears, if any, will be paid to retired national and secondary teachers as soon as the increases have been processed by my Department and by the Office of the Paymaster General. There will be no avoidable delay.

Does this apply to the ordinary national teachers?

I take it the Deputy realises that there are two categories, those who retire on 30th June, 1975, whose pension will be paid as and from that date and, in regard to secondary teachers, pension will be payable from the 1st August, 1975. The first pension payment is due on those dates in respect of those two categories. National teachers and secondary teachers who retired before those dates have their pensions adjusted upwards to keep relativity on a particular date and this demands a slight delay while the process goes through. After that there is no further delay.