§ Sir A. HOLBROOKasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he will state how many of the judges of the High Court in Ireland retired on pension when the Free State was established; whether these judges were retired on ordinary pensions or on full salaries; what is the 57W total amount now payable in respect of these pensions; and whether the whole amount falls on the British taxpayer or is shared by the Free State?
§ Mr. McNEILLNine judges of the High Court in Ireland retired as a result of the establishment of the Irish Free State; they received in each case the compensation provided under paragraph (2) of the Second Schedule to the Irish Free State (Consequential Provisions) Act, 1922, namely, pensions equivalent to two-thirds of their salaries, with additional allowances determined as therein prescribed; in two cases the awards, part of which were for limited periods, were equivalent to full salary. The total amount now payable to seven surviving judges is £23,783 6s. 8d. per annum. The awards are charged upon the Consolidated Fund, but a proportion of them, amounting to £17,193 6s. 8d. per annum, is recovered from the Irish Free State Government, in addition to which the sum of £1,353 15s. per annum is recovered from the Government of Northern Ireland.