andMr. Creed asked the Minister for Defence if an Army sergeant (details supplied) in Cork with 26 years' service who died while in service is entitled to a pension.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Army Pension.
25.
The widow of a soldier who dies in service is, irrespective of the length of that service, entitled to a pension under the contributory pension scheme for widows and orphans of non-commissioned officers and privates provided he was a contributor under the scheme. The Army sergeant referred to in this case exercised an option not to join the contributory scheme.
There is provision in the Army Pensions Acts whereby if a soldier dies of a disease which is attributable to his service with a United Nations Force, an annual allowance is paid to the widow. The Army sergeant involved had such service in 1962 and 1964, but the Army Pensions Board found that his death in 1978 was not due to a disease attributable to that service.
A gratuity of £4,464 was paid to his widow under the Defence Forces pensions schemes in respect of her late husband's Army service.
Question No. 26 has been postponed.