asked the Minister for Defence if he has reviewed the position regarding non-payment of gratuities to single members of An Fórsa Cosanta; and, if so, if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - An Fórsa Cosanta Gratuities.
50.
The question of providing gratuities in addition to retired pay and pension, for single officers, non-commissioned officers and privates of the Permanent Defence Force is still under examination. I am not in a position to say what the outcome will be.
Does the Minister agree that this seems to be punitive and very selective particularly in regard to those who for some reason do not choose to get married? Many of those people are looking after an aged parent. The Minister is being selective in his treatment of those people who when they leave the Army are at the loss of as much as £1,000. They may need gratuities more than married people because when they leave the Army they have to set up a house or provide some type of accommodation on their pensions.
The Deputy is making a statement.
Would the Minister give some consideration to those people and not face the armed forces again without being able to tell them after the budget that they will have this facility?
I do not so agree with the statement of the Deputy. Married rates of pay for officers of the Permanent Defence Forces are higher than the single rates but the married and single rates of retired pay are exactly the same for lieutenants, captains and commandants and not very different for the other ranks up to that of colonel. Therefore, the maximum retired pay of a single officer represents a much higher percentage of pay than that of a married officer, for example, 61 per cent in the case of a single captain as against 48 per cent in the case of a married captain. There is a further difficulty. It is the complication that the equalisation of married and single rates of pay in accordance with public policy for some considerable time should, as a corollary, result in equal pension terms also. The first phase of equalisation, that is 17½ per cent of the difference in pay, has been implemented and the effects of this on the pensions of single personnel are now being examined.
But that still does not explain the basis on which single men are not paid a gratuity. A telephonist in the Department of Posts and Telegraphs is paid a gratuity. Would the Minister explain why those people are not paid the gratuity? Can any reasoned argument be put up for it?
The position is that that is how it was fixed by previous governments and as I have said the maximum retired pay of a single officer represents a much higher percentage of pay than that of a married officer.
I am not talking about the retirement pay.
The Deputy may not argue.
Can the Minister explain why single officers, single NCOs and single privates are not paid a gratuity? A gratuity is usually paid in regard to service to a particular Department and in this instance it is to the country. They should be paid. Would the Minister explain why he seems to be so belligerently against single men in the Army? Maybe he wants all married men joining.
I must be allowed to say that I am not belligerent in any way. I am trying to explain to the Deputy a most complicated situation. The position is that the single men enjoy a much better position in regard to pension. There is also the matter of the Public Service sector where there is a decision to equalise rates of pay. That further complicates the whole situation. If the Deputy wishes to look for the reasons, why, he can look into the performance of past governments and he will get them there.
I am fed up with that coming from both the Minister for Local Government and the Minister for Defence. You are in power. Do it and shut up about the last government.