Seanad debates

Thursday, 26 February 2004

Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed).

 

1:00 pm

Photo of Jim WalshJim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

Senator O'Toole is trying to dominate this debate and he is coming from a particular viewpoint because of his previous employment. In this instance the commencement date in respect of any new benefits for those who return after having left the public service or private sector employment is the date of re-employment. There should be no beneficial arrangements attaching to the public service as against the private sector. Ultimately those in the private sector pay all the wages and salaries of those of us in the public service. Having accepted the principle of benchmarking, this must apply across the board, including in this instance to those who sever their employment. Earlier in the debate the Minister made it clear that those on leave of absence who return subsequently do not lose the benefits accrued. We need a clear distinction between these people and those who leave the employment of the public service.

Those who start a career and pursue a particular path by way of education should not find the rules have changed from the time they started. The composition of the Houses of the Oireachtas is such that there are significant advocates for particular professions here. However, this should not confer any benefits on those pursuing such professions. There is an onus on us to ensure impartiality so that nurses, teachers, cadets and trainee gardaĆ­ are treated no differently. I have strong reservations about the legislation making exceptions: it should not do that. It would be far more equitable to look at the starting date. People with an expectation at this stage could be accommodated by changing the starting date from 1 April 2004. This would be a much fairer approach than singling out specific professions and excluding others simply because there are stronger advocates here for those professions than for other professions.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.