asked the Minister for Defence whether he will take steps, including the introduction of legislation if necessary, to enable payment of a gratuity equal in amount to ninety-one days' pay to be made to N.C.O.s and men with service of twenty-one years and over without requiring such men after they cease their active army service to remain on the army rolls for ninety-one days prior to discharge.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Soldiers' Gratuities.
15.
Mr. Ryan
The grant of special leave with pay and allowances to men about to be discharged or transferred to the Reserve is a practice of very long standing. In 1957 I arranged for the maximum period of such leave to be increased from 21 days to 91 days. Payment is made weekly in arrears.
I do not propose to alter the present arrangements.
Mr. Ryan
Arising out of the Minister's reply, and appreciating the sympathy the Minister has with these men who have served the State for 21 years and upwards, would the Minister not agree that it is unfair that these men should be singled out for such harsh treatment as compared with their colleagues who have shorter service, or with commissioned officers who are given a gratuity without being required to remain on the active list? Further, is the Minister aware that under an existing provision these men are prevented from taking up any form of Government employment because they are still on the active list for 91 days after their service?
So far as the suggestion that some of these men are being singled out for harsh treatment is concerned, the present position is a considerable improvement on that which obtained prior to 1957. The 91 days' special leave with pay and allowances was provided for the purpose of enabling ex-soldiers to have a reasonable period in which to obtain employment without suffering a reduction in their standard of living. I consider that that objective is most effectively attained by paying them weekly, in the same way as when they were in the Army. They are not prevented from taking up any form of employment, Government or otherwise, prior to their final discharge, but it is provided that a man cannot be paid twice by the State. If, however, an ex-soldier on pre-discharge leave does succeed in obtaining Government employment, he can opt to forfeit the remainder of his pre-discharge leave.