asked the Minister for Defence the disparity, if any, that exists between soldiers' pay at home and in the Lebanon; if full consideration has been given to the interruption in family life and the position of the husband, who is now abroad; the tours of duty; and the rights to promotion there shall be for those officers and men who have conducted a good tour of duty for the UN and, accordingly, for this country.
Ceisteanna—Questions . Oral Answers . - Army Service with UN .
25.
: Irish military personnel serving with the United Nations Interim Force in the Lebanon will be paid overseas allowances and a local service allowance in addition to their home pay. These allowances take into account, amongst other things, the interruption in family life caused by the absence of the husband from home. The normal tour of duty with a United Nations Force is six months. In addition to the usual considerations in such matters the overseas service of all personnel is taken into account in relation to promotions.
: Might I ask the Minister how much is the overseas allowance he is talking about?
: There are about a dozen sets of figures here——
: To a private and an NCO?
: A private gets £3.80 per day, a married private gets £4.92 per day; a sergeant or sergeant-major gets £4.36 if he is single and £5.48 if married. I can let the Deputy have the rest if he wants them.
: Might I ask the Minister if the rate of pay is determined by the United Nations on a general basis, or is it an Irish Department of Defence rate?
: I have not got that information in the brief but I would be prepared to send it to the Deputy.
: I should be glad to receive it.
: I will send it to the Deputy.
: I should like to thank the Minister for Justice for his reply but I am very disappointed that the Minister for Defence is not here to answer these questions Further, I should like to state that in future if the Minister for Defence is not here I shall have to postpone my questions to him. I should like to know why my request to see off the troops going to the Lebanon last week was not allowed. I know it is very difficult for the Minister for Justice to answer this.
: That question is not on the Order Paper.
: I am deputising for the Minister. As the Chair knows, this is a practice which has been in operation here long before I or the Deputy came into the House. I understand the Minister, Deputy Molloy was on his way here when some accident happened and he was unable to make it. I am deputising for him——
: I do not like bringing this to the notice of the House and it should not be necessary, but the Deputy cannot ask questions that are not on the Order Paper. There is a time and place for these to be raised.
: The question I should like to ask the Minister is why my request to visit the troops going to the Lebanon was not allowed?
: I cannot answer that. If the Deputy wants an answer to a question like that he will have to put down a question.
: It is completely unsatisfactory that the appropriate Minister is not here.