asked the Minister for Lands if he will state in respect of forestry pensioners for each county (a) the number of pensions in payment, (b) the number of pensions with the Paymaster General for payment and awaiting payment, (c) the number of pensions in process and (d) the amount of the first pension paid by his Department.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Forestry Pensioners.
36.
Some of the information required by the Deputy is not readily available on a county basis. If the Deputy would be good enough to repeat the question in one week I would hope to be in a position to reply.
Is that the answer to Question No. 36?
That is right.
It is not clear to me. I do not mention anything about a county basis in Question No. 36.
It is in the question, "in respect of forestry pensioners for each county".
Has the Minister not got the other information I sought, even without that?
No.
Would the Minister say if he is aware that there is a bottleneck between the application for pension and the payment because the scheme, which was to operate from 1st January, 1970, has not yet been applied to men who retired shortly after that date? I am aware that scheme was only finalised about six months ago but surely the Minister's officials should have been aware that the scheme was in progress and should have been making arrangements? Is he not aware that it is very disappointing to old men to be told that the Forestry Division have not yet been able to compute their few pounds of pension although they have now been out for almost two years? Could the Minister do something about this?
I shall look into it.
Thank you.