§ No law made by the Parliament of Southern Ireland or the Parliament of Northern Ireland or, after the date of Irish union, by the Parliament of Ireland shall have effect so as to prejudice or diminish the rights or privileges of any existing or pensioned officer of a local authority under the provisions of the Local Government (Ireland) Acts, 1898 to 1919, or any Act relating to superannuation or retiring allowance or of any existing or pensioned officer of a university or college under the provisions of Sub-section (8) of Section sixteen of the Irish Universities Act, 1908.
Captain CRAIGI beg to move, at the end of the Clause, to insert the words
and further all remaining grand jury county surveyors appointed by the Lord Lieutenant shall, on the passing of this Act, be entitled to retire forthwith on such full maximum pension notwithstanding any act to the contrary, provided the age of sixty has been reached, or so soon as it is reached.This Amendment is put forward on behalf of thirteen county surveyors, nearly all of whom have attained, or about to attain, the age of sixty years. They have all had very long service, and this is the 1317 second change which has been made in their status. They were first appointed by the Lord Lieutenant under the old Grand Juries, and after the Local Government Act of 1898 they became officials of the county councils. Many of the officials appointed by the old Grand Juries were not always welcomed by their next masters the county councils. The position of some of these people has already become very difficult, and it is more than likely that under this Bill in certain parts of Ireland their position will be more difficult still. They are all elderly men. Most of them look forward with a considerable amount of anxiety, to put it mildly, at their position under the new circumstances to be set up under this Bill. I think it would be an act of charity on the part of the Government if they would allow some of these servants to retire on the terms mentioned in my Amendment.
§ Major O'NEILLI beg to second the Amendment.
§ Mr. HENRYI can assure my hon. Friend that his Amendment is unnecessary. Clause 65 provides that no law made by the Parliament of Southern or of Northern Ireland shall have effect so as to prejudice or diminish the rights or privileges of any existing or pensioned officer of a local authority under the provisions, of the Local Government (Ireland) Acts, 1898 to 1919. In that way the old County Surveyors are protected. As regards officers appointed since, the Local Government Act of 1919 provides that
if any officer of a local authority who holds a pensionable office is removed from his office for any cause other than misconduct or incapacity, or resigns his office with the sanction of the Local Government Board, he shall, without prejudice to any other right, be entitled to receive from the local authority an allowance not exceeding two-thirds of the salary, fees and emoluments.That is expressly continued by Clause 65. Moreover we propose to accept the next Amendment on the Paper.
§ Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.
§ Mr. MOLESI beg to move, at the end of the Clause, to add a new Subsection—
(2) Sub-section (8) of Section Sixteen of The Irish Universities Act, 1908, and Section Eight of The Local Government 1318 (Ireland) Act, 1919, shall, from and after the appointed day, have effect, with the substitution of the Civil Service Committee for the Treasury and for the Local Government Board and for the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland.I commend this Amendment, the last one on the Paper, to the notice of my right hon. Friend as not only desirable, but necessary, and I understand he is going to accept it.
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSThis Amendment can be accepted.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYMight we have some explanation of the effect of this Amendment? We English Members do not know much about the Irish Universities Act.
§ Sir E. CARSONYou will if you read it.
§ Amendment agreed to.