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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 15 Feb 2000

Vol. 514 No. 3

Written Answers. - Defence Forces Pensions.

Jan O'Sullivan

Question:

121 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Defence the conditions under which Army disability pensions are paid; the definition of an injury in the context of the relevant legislation; if psychiatric illness, incurred as a result of service in the Army, is included in the definition of injury; if not, the reason in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3992/00]

The Army Pensions Acts provide that a disability pension may, following retirement, be granted to a former member of the Permanent Defence Force in respect of permanent disablement due to a wound or injury attributable to military service, whether at home or abroad, or to a disease attributable to or aggravated by overseas service with a United Nations Force. A wound is defined for the purposes of those Acts as an interruption of the normal continuity of body tissue caused by direct or indirect violence but does not include any injury due to the serious negligence or mis conduct of the person suffering therefrom. An application for a disability pension in respect of psychiatric illness could be considered if the condition was due to a wound or to overseas service.

Under the Defence Forces pension schemes, a soldier qualifies for a service pension payable immediately on discharge if he has at least 21 years service. The minimum service requirement is 12 years if the soldier is discharged on medical grounds. Retired soldiers are also eligible for benefits such as disability benefit and invalidity pension under the Social Welfare Acts subject to the usual conditions.

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