asked the Minister for Defence the amount of the recent decrease in the consolidated ration allowance; and the reason for such decrease.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Army Ration Allowance.
34.
The decrease in ration allowance which came into effect on 1st January, 1968, was one penny a day. The rate of the allowance is reviewed immediately prior to the 1st January and 1st July in each year and is based on the cost of foodstuffs for the Defence Forces. The recent decrease arose out of such a review.
Would the Minister be so good as to tell the House what reduction in foodstuffs caused the reduction of a penny per day in the CRA of the soldiers?
The Deputy is aware, I am sure, that the Department of Defence buys its rations for the troops by contract and the contract price determines the cost of the ration per head. I may tell the Deputy that since 1964 the ration allowance to married soldiers has been increased by 11d per day and, in addition to that, the married soldier got the increase of £1 a week. This is not the first time that the ration allowance was reduced by a penny per day from the prevailing rate. It has been done before.
I am not interested in what happened before. What I would like to know from the Minister is why a reduction of a penny per day was made with effect from 1st January in view of the fact that soldiers and their wives do not buy their rations by contract but buy them retail in the shops? Would the Minister explain how it is that when prices for every other type of housewife were going up prices for married soldiers' wives were going down?
I am telling the Deputy the basis on which the ration allowance is calculated. It is based on the cost to the Army of the rations as supplied by contractors at contract price. That is the system that has obtained for a long number of years. There is no demand that I am aware of for a change in that system. I am explaining to the Deputy that in the long run it is to the advantage of the soldier.
I do not think the Minister has any doubt that I am as well aware as he is of what happens but I should like to know how the Minister decided in this case that those who live out and pay retail prices had a reduction in price when everybody else was experiencing an increase in price, irrespective of what the Minister says, that he was acting on the contract price for huge quantities of rations.
There is nothing to prevent a soldier from opting to have his rations in barracks.
Do not be coming the hard chaw.
I am giving the same answer as the Deputy's colleague gave in 1955, when a similar reduction was made. It was given by the then Minister in reply to a question by a member of the Labour Party and Deputy Tully was then supporting that Minister in office.
Of course he was but the Minister for Defence does not do everything the same as was done by the Minister in 1955. Does the Minister not know that it is not possible for a soldier to bring his wife and family into barracks when getting CRA? Should they not get a fair amount?
It is the same system as was operated in 1955. It is to the advantage of the soldier. They got an increase of 11d a day since 1964——
A new economy drive by the Government.
——and the £1 a week was given along with that.
An economy drive by the Government——
Would Deputy Harte please allow questions to continue?