asked the Minister for Finance if he will state the total amount of money saved to the State during the financial year 1948-49 by the operation of the section prohibiting double pensions in (a) the Military Service Pensions Act, 1924, and (b) the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Double Pensions—State Saving.
The particulars required by the Deputy are not readily available. No record is kept of the individual cases affected, and such cases could be segregated only by an examination of many thousands of cases. When the individual cases were ascertained recalculation of the awards would also be necessary. I am not satisfied that the expenditure of official time and labour involved in this task would be warranted.
Has the Minister any idea of the amount? I have heard the figure of £20,000 mentioned.
I have no idea. There would have to be 13,000 cases examined to get even an approximate figure.
Am I to understand from the Minister that there are 13,000 persons in receipt of pensions, that is, persons receiving remuneration from central or local funds?
I am told that 13,000 military service pensions have been awarded, and that these cases, with other cases, would have to be examined to get the calculation which the Deputy requires.
I would ask the Minister to make a calculation of the cost of these 13,000 cases. Probably, 80 per cent. of them are not affected by these sections at all.
That is to say that I would have to go through the whole of the 13,000?
It would be like going through 13,000 packs of cards. It would not be very difficult.