I propose to take Questions Nos. 76, 78 and 83 together.
The position is that the Garda Representative Association and the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors referred a claim to arbitration to have a number of allowances which are paid to members of the force made pensionable. The arbitrator recommended that some of those allowances — including rent allowance — should be made pensionable with effect from 1 October 1982. The recommendations contained in the Garda Arbitration Bopard Report No. 15 have been fully implemented.
The Garda Pensioners' Association subsequently asked to have the benefits of the recommendation concerning rent allowance applied to their members who retired before 1 October, 1982. That association was informed on 2 August, 1984 that, because of the very considerable additional costs involved and the critical state of the Exchequer finances, the recommendation could not be applied to those members. There are no proposals to change that decision.