Poor Law Officers' Superannuation (Ireland) Bill.
MEMORANDUM.
1.
Under the provisions of the 28th Vict.
c.
26.,
and the Acts amending the same, poor law officers at present possess a statutory claim to a superannuation allowance upon becoming incapacitated from the performance of their duties "by reason of permanent mental or hodily infirmity, or of old age.
The grant of such allowance is, however, dependent upon the discretion of hoards of guardians, and while during the past 30 years the majority of hoards have recognised the claims of their officers, there have "been many cases where grants have been withheld.
2.
The present Bill proposes that in return for a percentage contribution from their salaries and emoluments all poor law officers shall he entitled to a superannuation allowance when they become incapable of discharging the duties of their offices by reason of permanent infirmity of mind or body, or of old age.
With this exception the Bill has been practically drawn on the same lines as the existing Superannuation Acts, so far as relates to the conditions upon which superannuation can ho claimed, the scale of allowances, the period of service, &c.
3.
While, moreover, an officer in possession of his faculties and capable of discharging his duties is not required to take his superannuation at any age, power is given to boards of guardians to require an officer who has attained the age of 65 to retire, when they are of opinion that it would be expedient in the interests of the public service that he should do so.
4.
The percentage of contribution has been graduated with respect to existing officers from 2 per cent, of their total salaries and emoluments in the case of officers with less than five years' service, 1o 2i per cent, in the case of officers with 5 to 15 years' service, and to 3 per cent, in the case of officers with more than 15 years' service.
This percentage has been arrived at from the experience of other superannuation schemes, and will practically be found sufficient, it is expected, to meet future claims for superannuation.
5.
Provision is made with respect to existing officers at the passing of the Act, giving them the option of contributing to secure "certainty" or retaining their present equitable rights under the existing Acts, should they prefer to rely on these latter.
With all officers appointed after the passing of the Act the contribution would be compulsory.
[Bill 02.]
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a
