asked the Minister for Defence whether allowances payable under the Army Pensions Acts, 1943 to 1961 are being reduced in cases where recipients of these allowances are entitled to a contributory old age pension.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Allowances under Army Pensions Acts.
23.
Persons who were in receipt of non-contributory old age pensions and special allowances and who have now qualified for contributory old age pensions have had their special allowances reduced, but the total income of such persons from contributory old age pensions and special allowances combined is greater than it was prior to their qualifying for contributory old age pensions. I explained the position in detail when concluding the debate on the Army Pensions (Increase) Bill. 1961 on the 9th March, 1961, and again when concluding the debate on the Vote for Army Pensions on the 18th April, 1961.
Is the Minister aware that the recipients of old age pensions who have failed to qualify for a contributory pension have had their special allowances reduced?
No. On the other hand, their special allowances have been increased.
Reduced.
Is it the policy of the Minister's Department, then, that in cases where special allowances have been reduced the recipients must produce evidence of their ineligibility to qualify for contributory old age pensions? I have met cases of that type.
If the Deputy will forward me any particular case he has in mind I will have it enquired into.
Several applicants have received letters from the Minister's Department in the last few weeks telling them the allowances have been reduced and that they should apply for the contributory old age pension.
They would be cases of people who would be qualified for contributory pensions?
The people I know would not be qualified.
There may have been some mistakes made. I do not know.
There may be mistakes but is it not more practical and businesslike for the Department of Defence to enquire from the Department of Social Welfare about those cases where there is any doubt about the question of old age pension or contributory pension?
Of course, the only way in which we could possibly get the information is through the Department of Social Welfare. Obviously, it would not be in the person's interest if he were to be overpaid and at a later date the overpayments had to be recovered. Obviously, it is better, if there is to be a reduction, that it should be at the earliest possible date.
Why should reductions take place in the case of persons who never applied for the contributory old age pension?
The Deputy would have to give me a particular case and I will look into it.
In view of the number of cases that Deputies on all sides of the House have in this matter the Minister might look into the administration. Obviously there is something wrong.
I have made it clear that in regard to people who are qualified for contributory old age pensions the special allowances do fall to be reduced.
Would the Minister not admit that it is very unfair to Old I.R.A. men that their special allowances should be reduced in view of the fact that the State is providing nothing towards the pension fund which is mainly made up by the employee and the employer?
The point is that the special allowances are granted to relieve cases of hardship and so a means test is a fundamental part of the scheme.
24.
asked the Minister for Defence the statutory authority for the assessment of part of the contributory old age pensions as means in the calculation of allowances payable under the Army Pensions Acts, 1943 to 1961.
The statutory authority is contained in subsection 7 (9) of the Army Pensions Act, 1943, which provides that, for the purposes of special allowances, the yearly means of a person shall be construed as the yearly means of that person as ascertained in accordance with the joint directions of the Minister for Defence and the Minister for Finance.