Vol. 556 No. 4
60 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Defence the steps being taken to ensure that the military service allowance is payable to pensioners who retired before 1 August 1990 and their widows; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20500/02]
Arising from a recommendation made in 1990 by the commission on remuneration and conditions of service in the Defence Forces, the Gleeson Commission, military service allowance was made pensionable in the case of personnel retiring on or after 1 August 1990. This approach was fully consistent with settled public service pensions policy, which provides that the benefit of an allowance being made pensionable for serving personnel does not extend to existing pensioners. More recently, the commission on public service pensions specifically addressed the issue of the pensionability of allowance, including the MSA, and the consequences for public service pensioners generally in its final report, which was published in January 2001. The commission was an independent body which had invited submissions from interested parties through an advertisement in the national press in September 1996. I understand that groups representative of military pensioners were among those who made submissions and were met by the commission.
However, having considered the arguments advanced by the groups affected, together with long-standing public service pensions policy in that context and the substantial cost implications involved, the commission did not recommend any increase for the pensioners concerned. No change in existing policy on this matter has been authorised.
Will the Minister of State explain why members of long-standing service to the State have been ignored in these investigations? Is she aware that the Progressive Democrats general election manifesto recognised the contribution made in earlier years by members of the Defence Forces who have since retired and that it undertook to ensure that military service allowances be payable to pensioners? Does the Minister of State agree with this?
I was unaware that the Progressive Democrats had included such a commitment in its general election manifesto but I am aware that it is not in the programme for Government.
