andMr. Tierney asked the Minister for Defence (a) the number of IRA medal holders in receipt of a special allowance at the end of 1964, (b) the total cost per year of this special allowance, (c) the maximum allowance granted, (d) the estimated cost of increasing the maximum to £5 per week or £260 per year with pro rata increases for those under the maximum, (e) if those in receipt of a special allowance can receive their old age pension, contributory or non-contributory, without the allowance being counted as means, and (f) if not, if he will state the saving on either old age pensions or special allowances due to this.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - IRA Medal Holders.
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(a) The number of special allowances on pay at the end of 1964 was 7,937.
(b) The amount provided for the payment of special allowances in 1964-65, including the increase granted as from 1st October, 1964, is £606,000.
(c) A special allowance is an annual sum of such amount as, when added to the applicant's yearly means, will not equal or exceed the "appropriate annual sum" laid down in the Army Pensions Acts. At present the appropriate annual sums are those prescribed in section 26 of the Army Pensions (Increase) Act, 1964, with the addition of £4 per annum, in each case, as a result of the 1964 Budget increases.
(d) Without re-assessing every special allowance at present being paid it would not be possible to estimate the cost of increasing the maximum appropriate annual sum to £260, with pro rata increases for allowances below the maximum, but it might well increase the total cost to double the present figure or even more.
(e) A person in receipt of a special allowance who is eligible for a contributory old age pension can receive such a pension without the special allowance being counted as means. In the assessment of means for non-contributory old age pensions the first £80 of any pension or allowance under the Military Service Pensions Acts, the Army Pensions Acts or the Connaught Rangers Pensions Acts or of a combination of such pensions or allowances is disregarded.
(f) I am not in a position to furnish figures relating to the costs of old age pensions, which are a matter for the Minister for Social Welfare. There is, of course, no saving on special allowances arising from the partial assessment of such allowances as means in the calculation of non-contributory old age pensions.