asked the Minister for Defence if he will state the amount of the pay and allowances per annum payable at the time of his death to Captain William Ryan, Air Corps, who was killed on duty at Kilbride, the yearly amount of the allowances now payable under the Army Pensions Acts to his widow and his six children, all under the age of ten years, and why provision is not made for Captain Ryan's dependents on the same scale as that provided for the dependents of a civil servant, with a salary equivalent to that of Captain Ryan, who is killed while flying on duty.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dependents of Captain W. Ryan.
The amount of pay and allowances payable at the time of his death to Captain William Ryan was £692 per annum, plus 5/- a day flying pay, plus 1/- a day children's allowance, making a total of £801 10s. 0d. per annum. An annual uniform allowance of £30 was also payable.
Allowances of £90 per annum for herself and £16 per annum for each of her six children, that is £186 in all, are now payable under the Army Pensions Acts to his widow, who also received a gratuity of £340 under the Defence Forces pensions scheme.
Consideration has been given to the question of increasing the allowances payable under the Army Pensions Acts to the widows and children of persons killed in similar circumstances and I hope to be in a position to introduce the necessary amending legislation at an early date.
The difference in treatment as between a civil servant killed while flying on duty and a flying officer of the Air Corps arises from the conditions of service. An Air Corps officer receives additional pay, known as flying pay, which covers the element of risk attached to his duties. No similar provision is made for civil servants, for whom flying on duty is an exceptional circumstance.
In view of the importance of this matter and the unsatisfactory nature of the Minister's reply, I desire, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to give notice that I intend to raise this question on the Adjournment.
I did not quite catch the figure that the Minister gave which was paid in respect of each child.
Mr. Boland
£16.
Sixteen or 60?
£16.
May I ask the Minister how that compares with the sustenance allowance paid by the State in the case of a child who is put in a reformatory or county home?
Mr. Boland
I could not answer that question straight off.
It is surely much more than £16?
Mr. Boland
I am not prepared to answer that. I do not know.
Major de Valera
Is it claimed that flying pay is a risk pay?
Mr. Boland
I am informed that it is considered sufficient to cover the risk if they pay a small sum for insurance.
Would the Minister not consider that the rate of pension allowed to an officer who meets his death in the service of the State is scandalously low and niggardly?
Mr. Boland
This matter is to be raised on the Adjournment.