Submission 325
February 2008
Green Paper submission
I wish to make the following submission to your committee. I am 87 years old and hope you will be able to read my writing.
I commenced my working life at 15 years of age and my contributions to Social Welfare commenced in 38/39 period and continued at the Class A rate until 1957. At that time I was working with [Company Name] in 1957, I was promoted and, as a consequence, I was then changed from Class A to Class D rate. The latter rate did not entitle me to an Old Age Pension.
From 1957 to 1986, my contributions continued at Class D and when I retired I was not entitled to an Old Age Pension because I had been superannuated at [Company Name] who were exempted from paying the full rate. As I had time on my hands a number of us formed an association “Deprived Old Age Pensioners” and commenced lobbying TDs and senators and after a very long fight over 12 or 14 years we got some recognition and small amounts of pensions were paid to us. As a result of the anomalies created in Social Welfare and the injustice of the scheme from 1995 all public service employees recruited after that year are now paying Class A contributions and will be entitled to State pensions as they are now called plus their occupational pension.
At present I have my occupational pension approx €298pw and half the State pension which is approx €125pw. After contributions made by me for 48 years of my life at either the Class A or Class D rate I feel this is a shocking injustice to me. I have given loyal service to the State both as a public servant and in [Employer Name] from 1940 to 1946.
The use of pre 1953 contributions was only allowed on a very limited basis for half the State pension and despite the fact that I have pre 1953 stamps on record I am not allowed to use them and I am denied a full pension. This is disgraceful and I am not sure whether or not it is within your remit? I hope it is and that you will rectify it.
If you require any further information from me or if there is any way I can be helpful, I am very willing to do so, even to travel to Dublin, I am quite capable of doing so T.G. I await your comments & reply.
