asked the Minister for Defence the amount of pay increase to be paid to each rank of officer, NCO and man of the Defence Forces, the date of operation of the increases and the date on which they will be paid; and if he will make a statement on the delay in making payment.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Army Pay Increase.
116.
Details of this pay award have been announced. In this revision the pattern has again been followed of applying to the Army increases based on those granted to Civil Service grades at various levels. As in the case of the Civil Service the increases are phased —the first phase to operate from the 1st October, 1970, and the second from the 1st April, 1971.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary agree that it is a pity the increases were so long delayed? I will not suggest that the question was responsible for hurrying them up, but it does look a bit like that. Would the Parliamentary Secretary explain how the Government Information Bureau made such an obvious error in announcing the details?
I have no information but, if the Deputy would like to put down a question to that effect, I will give him the information. I do not have the information.
What information?
The information in relation to the Government Information Bureau.
The Parliamentary Secretary was not aware of this himself. He did not read the papers. The Parliamentary Secretary being sullen about it does not help.
I am not being sullen about it at all.
I am asking a perfectly simple question. The Government Information Bureau made a mistake and they treated the Army personnel with contempt. They could not even give the correct rates and the time at which the money would be paid. I think they should at least have issued a correction.
Hear, hear.