Vol. 458 No. 2
169 Mr. E. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Defence the reason for a reduction in the gross rate of pension being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this person was awarded an increase in his pension in 1992. [16715/95]
The Defence Forces pensions schemes provide for the payment of a special increment — currently £3.69 a week — in addition to his basic pension to a soldier for each year of his pensionable service in excess of 21 years but not exceeding 31 years. As a general rule, this special increment continues to be payable until the pensioner becomes entitled to a social welfare retirement pension, at age 65, or to a contributory old age pension, at age 66, at which stage the increment ceases to be payable. The personal rate of either social welfare pension is considerably greater than the maximum special increment. Exceptionally, the increment continues to be payable up to 70 years of age in the case of a pensioner who retired prior to 1 August 1978 provided he is not in receipt of a social welfare retirement pension.
The arrangements in place are in accordance with the principle of co-ordinating occupational pensions in the public sector with social welfare pensions in the case of employees who are fully insured under the Social Welfare Acts. Soldiers are so insured.
The person in question is in receipt of a contributory old age pension and retired prior to 1 August 1978. He reached 70 years of age on 30 August 1995 and the special increment ceased to be payable from that date. He had been advised of the position by my Department in 1992.
