§ 24. Mr. P. MEEHANasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he is aware that the unpensionable allowances given to Irish prison warders under the new scheme are paid at the rate of 4d. and 8d. per day in lieu of the fixed pensionable rate of £5 and £10 per year under the old system; that the new unpensionable rates are paid only 288 days per year, Sundays, Roman Catholic holidays, annual leave, sickness, etc., not being paid for; that the highest possible amounts that can be earned under the new unpensionable system are £4 16s. and £9 12s. per year as compared with the old fixed pensionable system of £5 and £10 per year; that the old fixed pensionable system has worked successfully for over thirty years in the Irish prisons service without presenting any difficulties in administration; will he now say what difficulties in administration would be likely to arise by continuing the old system of allowances, and on what grounds it has been stated that the new unpensionable rates, which show a loss of at least from 4s. to 8s. per year, are a better system of remuneration; and will he also say what amount has been saved in those allowances since the 1st April, 1916, by the operation of the new unpensionable rates?
§ Mr. DUKEThe matter has been disposed of by a recent decision, and I cannot enter into the details of the matter in a discussion by question and answer. I am publishing in the OFFICIAL REPORT a detailed statement, which concludes with the information that no saving is anticipated as the result of the new scale of allowances.—[See Written Answers]