asked the Minister for Defence how many people are in receipt of special allowances.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Old IRA Allowances.
55.
The number of persons in receipt of special allowances under the Army Pensions Acts on 31st May, 1970, was 10,837.
56.
asked the Minister for Defence if he will consider raising the amount of means under which a person qualifies for special allowances in view of the cost of living in recent years.
The position of special allowance holders is kept under constant review, as is evidenced by the fact that the "appropriate annual sums," which in effect are assessable means ceilings, have been increased eight times in the last nine years and will be increased again this year. There have also been progressive relaxations in the calculation of assessable means during the same period.