15. Mr. GODFREYLOCKER-LAMPSONasked whether the retirement allowances offered in the Government of Ireland Bill to existing Civil servants who decline to take service under the new Irish Government have been condemned as inadequate by large bodies of Civil servants in Ireland; and whether the Government have been requested by these Civil servants to allow in the present Bill the same retirement terms as were proposed in the Government of Ireland Bill of 1893 and the Irish Councils Bill of 1907?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Civil Service retirement scheme contained in the Government of Ireland Bill is more favourable to the service as a whole than the scheme in the Bills of 1893 or 1907. It was framed after communication with a committee representing 5,000 Civil servants in Ireland, and although amongst so large a body there may be several individuals who think that their particular cases might have been treated differently, I believe that it is recognised by the service generally that the present scheme is, I will not say generous, but, at any rate, fair and reasonable, and preferable to the schemes of 1893 or 1907.