asked the Minister for Defence if he is aware that officers and other ranks of the Permanent Defence Force in receipt of a service pension who are also granted a disability pension, have had their service pension abated under the 1957 Army Pension Scheme, as amended; and if, in view of the hardship caused by this, he will remove the abatement clause.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Army Pensions.
95.
As the principle of abatement where both service and disablement pensions are payable affects other retired State servants as well as retired members of the permanent Defence Force, I regret that it is not open to me to repeal Article 38 of the Defence Forces (Pensions) Scheme, 1937, which governs the position of retired members of the Forces who are in receipt of both service and disability pensions.
Is the Minister aware how inequitable this is because this particular abatement applies in most cases to the disability pension? Army pensioners have earned their service pensions. The medical board award them pensions in respect of their service but, because of the abatement clause, that pension is abated when a disability pension is granted. Surely it is inequitable to operate abatement in those cases which are distinct from other categories in the public services?
Because the arrangement is not peculiar to the Defence Forces alone but applies across the public service, it is not for me to change it.
Can the Minister say how much would be involved if it were paid in full?
I have not got that information here.