Denis Naughten
Question:85 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Defence the plans, if any, he has to review the Army Pensions Board. [9269/99]
Written Answers. - Army Pensions Board.
Frances Fitzgerald
Question:137 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Defence the plans, if any, he has to review the Army Pensions Board. [9329/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 85 and 137 together.
The Army Pensions Board was established under section 5 of the Army Pensions Act, 1927. It consists of a chairman and two ordinary members. The two ordinary members must be qualified medical doctors of whom one must be an officer of the Army Medical Corps.
The functions of the board under the Army Pensions Acts are to investigate applications for pensions, allowances and gratuities arising from the death or disablement of members of the Permanent Defence Force and to report its findings to the Minister under the following headings: (1) whether the applicant is suffering from a permanent disablement – (a) due to wound (or injury) attributable to his service in the Permanent Defence Force at home or abroad, (b) caused by disease attributable to service with a United Nations Force abroad, (c) due to disease aggravated, accelerated or excited by service with a United Nations Force abroad; and (2) the percentage degree of disablement from which the applicant is suffering.
I have no proposals to review the work remit of the board.