Vol. 420 No. 3
62 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Defence the reason a pension was not paid to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; the reason the pension due to be paid is so small; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
A pension under the non-contributory pension scheme for non-established State employees is based on the annual rate of pay on the last day of reckonable service less twice the annual amount of Social Welfare Contributory Old Age Pension payable to a single person. The person referred to by the Deputy qualified for a pension under the scheme. Because, however, his annual rate of pay was only slightly greater than twice the annual amount of the relevant Contributory Old Age Pension his scheme pension is only nominal.
The issue of pensions payments is a matter for the Paymaster General's Office, to whom the necessary authorisation was issued by my Department in this case. It is understood from the Department of Finance that the question of commuting pensions of nominal amount, such as applies in this case, to once-off lump-sum payments is under examination at present.
